At Your Request
by FearlessinBlue
Summary: I decided to post my collection of oneshots that I post on Tumblr for my readers here on Fanfiction. If you want to contribute prompts you can find me on Tumblr under the username meenasmoon. Enjoy!
1. The Perfect Partner

"Ok now slowly…slowly…" Rosita nervously hovered over Johnny and Ash as the two performers slowly moved around the stage. Johnny was nervously watching his feet, trying desperately not to step on Ash's feet while the young porcupine flinched as he once again squeezed her hand nervously. It wasn't his fault, he was three times Ash's size now with his recent growth spirt. He had to lean down just to dance with her and he didn't know how to dance in the first place.

"Ow!" Ash looked meaningfully up at Johnny who sighed and released her from his grip right as his heavy foot landed on top of her small one.

"Johnny!" She groaned in frustration and the gorilla immediately backed off, putting at lest a couple feet of distance between them.

"I'm so sorry Ash." He said, defeat coloring his voice.

"Don't worry about it Boy Scout. It's not your fault you dance like you got no feet." She said sarcastically and limped over to where Ms. Crawley was waiting with some ice packs.

"I can't do this Mistah Moon." Johnny groaned and ran a hand through his spiked hair in exasperation.

"I know it's hard Johnny but my vision for this show is of you dancing and somehow we have to figure that out." Moon tapped his clipboard thoughtfully and looked over his options. Johnny was definitely his number one choice for this song, his soulful voice was beyond perfect for it, his only trouble was finding the best partner for him. Ash was definitely out now that he saw their chemistry when they were dancing. It was practically nonexistent, besides their size difference was just too hard to get over. Rosita was too small for the large gorilla as well so that left… Meena.

It was like a stroke of genius hit him and the director inside of him was already coming up with ideas for the two. With Johnny's growth spurt, he was now slightly taller than Meena. Their voices were a perfect match, both vocal powerhouses. He jumped happily onto the stage and hurried towards Meena who was humming happily as she observed Eddie going through his cues with her.

"Meena!" Buster crowed happily and the elephant turned to him with an eager smile on her face.

"Yeah Mr. Moon?" She asked in her deceptively quiet voice. She was still rather timid offstage despite her knew confidence onstage and most people underestimated her voice based on her personality.

"I have the perfect assignment for you. You are going to replace Ash in the number with Johnny." he stated matter of factly and pulled her onto the stage where Johnny was desperately trying to work out the steps with Rosita but his nerves were taking over and he kept going the wrong way or nearly stepping on Rosita's nimble feet.

"Wait…what?" Meena squeaked in surprise and reflexively pulled her ears in close to her face to hide her deep blush.

"It'll be perfect. Just trust me." the excited little koala winked at Meena but she was not reassured in the slightest. Being alone with Johnny always made her so flustered. She could barely even talk to him, let alone perform with him.

"Alright Rosita. Teach these two how to dance." he gently shoved Meena forward and she collided with Johnny who swiftly caught her and helped steady her on her feet. Rosita grinned and Buster, picking up on his true purpose.

"Okay everyone let's get started." she clapped her hands to get their attention and then jogged over to the radio to pick the right music. Johnny smiled sweetly down at Meena and said quietly so that only she could hear, "Thanks for bein' me partner. I'm glad it's ya."

Before Meena could say anything the music started up and Rosita bounded over to where they were awkwardly standing close together.

"Alright first things first, Meena take off that sweatshirt, and Johnny you take off that leather jacket of yours." Johnny quickly slipped out of his jacket while Meena reluctantly pulled her sweatshirt over her head. She was rarely seen without her signature faded baby blue sweatshirt so it was a surprise when Johnny turned around to find her dressed in a flattering lavender t-shirt. Meena smiled shyly at him when she caught him staring and Johnny quickly looked away, his cheeks turning a little red in response.

"Okay chop chop." Rosita pulled them back into reality and Meena and Johnny immediately ran over to stand at attention in front of her.

"Let's start with some basic stuff." Rosita gently pushed them so that they were facing each other and then she placed Johnny's tentative hand on the curve of Meena's waist. They both jumped slightly at the intimate contact but just as quickly they settled into it as if Johnny's hand was made to rest on Meena's hip and Meena's hip had been molded perfectly for his hand. Rosita placed Meena's hand on Johnny's shoulder and when she went to nudge their hands together the two intertwined their hands without any form of prompting. Rosita grinned triumphantly and bounced back over to her spot in front of them.

"Let's start with some basic steps." With that they were off, Rosita dictating their every move, and their eyes rarely leaving each others. Their hearts were pounding simultaneously and Meena's breathing was a little shallow but neither seemed to notice.

When she noticed them getting a little stiff Rosita stopped them and put her hand over their joined ones. "Just relax you two. Imagine that it's only the two of you dancing and everything will be fine." Johnny gulped and Meena blushed brightly but they both nodded.

They continued like this for hours, the dance gradually progressing towards a more complicated routine. After one last try, Rosita decided that they were good enough to show Mr. Moon who had long since retreated to his office so that eh could get some work done. When everyone was comfortably seated in the audience, Mr. Moon and Rosita in the front, the house lights dimmed and Johnny and Meena resumed the position that felt natural at that point. Their hands belonged together and his hand belonged on her hip.

The sweet melody of the song that Rosita had chosen for them filled the stage and they were off like magic. Of course they were still new to dancing and sometimes the steps were a little bit off, but those small imperfections were nothing in comparison to their chemistry and they twirled around the stage in unison.

Their small audience was captivated as they watched the pair dance like no one was watching. They could tell by the looks on Meena and Johnny's faces that they could see no one but each other. It was beautiful and magical but eventually the song had to come to an end and so did the magic.

With one last twirl, Johnny brought Meena in close to his chest and dipped her as low as he could without making her nervous. They were just staring at each other, their faces moving ever closer, when loud applause broke them out of their reverie.

Johnny helped Meena up into standing position and the pair bashfully bowed.

"Perfect! Absolutely perfect. I'm a genius!" Buster congratulated himself as Meena and Johnny hurried off stage to escape their admirers.

Just as Meena was about to disappear into the locker room to get changed and ready to go home Johnny stopped her with a hand on her arm. She turned around curiously to find her friend nervously rubbing the back of his neck and looking at the floor.

"Would ya uh, loike ter get sum ice cream sometime?" he stuttered out, his face cherry red. Meena was silent for a moment and Johnny felt himself being overwhelmed by the sudden urge to flee but his whole body filled with relief when she finally answered in a timid but happy voice.

"I'd love to."


	2. Truth or Dare

It started out with a light drizzle that morning as the theatre family made their way to the Moon theatre. The dark grey clouds were heavy with water and looked ready to burst any second. The light drizzle had been constant throughout the night so the streets were already wet with rain and littered with sizable puddles.

When Ash arrived at the theatre her black overcoat was damp enough that she could feel wet spots on her clothes. Once inside the theatre she threw her jacket onto the stage and collapsed into one of the house seats. She was beyond relieved that she had decided to wear her thick black combat boots today rather than her old converse. While her apartment was only a short walk away, the route was riddled with a maze of puddles.

Moon was already on stage with his clipboard, looking as dry as ever in his signature suit. Ash suspected that he never left the theatre and often entertained the idea that the koala powered down every night like a robot but she had never been able to prove it. Not yet anyway.

Mrs. Crawley wandered in a few minutes later from upstairs with an empty mug. She was still dripping slightly from the rain but she didn't seem to notice as she handed Mr. Moon his empty mug and settled down into her usual seat. Moon distractedly tried to take a sip from the mug but frowned in confusion when he found it empty. He let out a sigh and rolled his eyes in exasperation as he went back going over his notes.

A few minutes later Rosita bustled in in a bright yellow rain coat complete with matching rain boots and a matching umbrella. If anyone was prepared for the weather it was her. Rosita was always prepared for everything so it was no surprise that she was decked out in a full ensemble. Despite the gloomy weather Rosita was smiling and and brandishing a tupperware full of fresh-baked blueberry muffins.

"Good morning everybody!" she called out as she gracefully walked down the aisle to the seats in front of the stage where everyone was waiting. As soon as she opened the tupperware Moon had snatched two muffins already. Ash shook her head when Rosita offered her the muffins. Her stomach was on a strict schedule. She did not eat until at least ten in the morning. Eight o'clock was much too early for her to digest anything. As if to remind her that it was way too early for her to be awake and functioning, even partially, her body forced out a yawn and her eyes drooped slightly. Maybe staying up until three a.m. watching that documentary wasn't the best idea after all.

Eddie wandered in next, spotless and in his usual casual attire. He waved to them all casually, grabbed a couple muffins and pulled Buster away from his clipboard as they began their morning chit chat.

About fifteen minutes later Mike stormed in, nearly blown away by the wind that had started gusting outside. He was grumbling angrily he stomped down the aisle, wringing out his hat. As he passed where Ash was sitting she heard him complaining under his breath about having to put up his convertible hood and how the rain was ruining a very expensive suit. Ash just rolled her eyes and ignored the little grump in favor of looking down at her phone. Neither of her best friends had shown up so there was no one that she really wanted to talk to. She scrolled through to her weather app and opened up the forecast for today. So far the report said that the rain was supposed to increase in severity the rest of the day.

Just when she was about to open up her favorite guilty pleasure game, Temple Run, Johnny burst into the lobby with his leather jacket pulled up over his head in order to shield him from the increasingly intense rainfall. The young gorilla shed the jacket and shook the water off of it before heading down to join the others. He threw his jacket in with Ash's and took the seat next to her. The two began chatting about the intense weather and how it might affect their day. Suddenly the intense boom of thunder echoed throughout the theatre and a flash of lightning lit up the sky outside. Johnny and Ash exchanged concerned looks and both of them checked their phones for a text from Meena. She was the only one missing from their little theatre family. Unfortunately their inboxes were empty, no sign of Meena anywhere. After a few more minutes of waiting, Johnny stood up and began pacing nervously, his eyes glued to his phone. Meena lived the farthest away out of all of them and because her mother couldn't afford a car for her she had to take the bus. But usually she was here by now.

"I knew I should've given 'er a ride this mornin'" Johnny chided himself and Rosita put a comforting hand on his arm.

"There's no way that you could have known the weather would turn this bad." she comforted him but Johnny just looked at the floor and nodded.

Another crack of lightning split open the sky and the roar of thunder shook their little theatre once more. This time, however, the two were accompanied by the not-so-graceful entrance of Meena into the lobby. The poor elephant was soaked to the bone and with every step her clothes dripped and her sneakers squelched. She was shivering in her thin baby blue jacket which was soaked through and clung to her in a way that only made the chill worse. Her teeth were chattering along with her shivers and her arms were wrapped around her frame in an effort to keep her body heat from escaping. It was to no avail.

As soon as they saw her, everyone rushed towards her. Rosita pulled a towel out of her large mom bag and quickly wrapped the shivering elephant in it as she led her back towards the dressing rooms.

"Meena! 'Re ya alwigh'?" Johnny asked worriedly, hovering nervously around her.

"O-o-of c-c-ourse J-johnny." she stuttered out through her violent shivers and wrapped the blanket more securely around her shoulders.

"What happened to you girl?" Ash asked worriedly, examining her friends dirty, soaking clothes. This was a result of more than just the rain. Meena looked down, pulling her ears in close to her head. Sensing that her friend was embarrassed by her story, Ash shooed away all of the boys, even a worried Johnny, who took a little convincing before he slunk off dejectedly towards the main stage.

Ash then proceeded to help Rosita usher Meena into the women's locker room. They handed her an extra change of clothes they found in the changing room and Meena quickly disappeared into a stall to change. When she came out she had changed into an extra pair of dark performance jeans that she kept at the theatre and one of the leftover t-shirts from their last show.

"So what happened to you Meena?" Rosita asked, handing the still damp teenager another towel. Meena sighed and used the towel to wipe the remaining moisture off of her head.

"Everything was fine when I woke up today. The rain was light so I thought the hood on my jacket would be enough. but as soon as I got to the bus stop it started pouring. The bus was late because of the weather so by the time I got on the bus I was soaked and my phone was halfway dead. So I rode the bus into town and as I was walking to the theatre a sports car went speeding through a puddle and splashed water all over me." She frowned as she stared down at the damp towel.

"What a terrible start to the day." Rosita exclaimed and rushed over to envelope Meena in a warm hug. Meena smiled and returned the hug gratefully.

"Thanks Rosita." she cracked her first smile of the day, which in turn made Rosita and Ash smile as well.

"Next time why don't you just ask Johnny to pick you up?" Ash smirked when Meena immediately went red and pulled her ears in close to her face at the mention of Johnny.

"Wh-what? Me? Oh no I c-couldn't possibly ask Johnny." she stuttered nervously, "Why don't we go out and get rehearsal started?" she said quickly and then bolted out the door. Rosita watched her go, her face displaying her obvious confusion but Ash wasn't nearly as oblivious. these were her best friends and she was well aware of Meena's crush on Johnny. And subsequently Johnny's crush on Meena. She smirked as she watched Johnny leap up from his seat as soon as Meena appeared. He put a comforting hand on her arm and leaned in close to find out what exactly had happened. Meena brushed of his concern gently but made no move to remove his hand from her arm.

Inwardly Ash gagged at how obvious they both were being. They had been carrying on like this for months and Ash was fed up with sitting back and watching them dance around each other. Something needed to be done and soon. That day, it seemed that the universe agreed because at that moment the sky released another crack of thunder and in flash of lightning all of the lights in the theatre were suddenly extinguished.

There was a chorus of startled shouts as everyone tried to find their way in the dark. Ash blinked, trying to adjust her eyes to the darkness enough to see where everyone else was.

"Geez Moon didja forget to pay the electric company again?" Ash called out into the darkness sarcastically.

"I think it's the storm." the cavernous room was suddenly lit slightly as Johnny opened his phone and let the light of the screen illuminate as much as it could. Ash pulled out her phone as well and walked over to where everyone was gathered on stage. She opened her weather app once more to find that the forecast of harmless rain had changed to a blinking red banner that warned of flash floods and severe thunderstorms.

"Johnny's right guys." She showed everyone the screen and and there was a chorus of groans.

"Well it's obviously too dangerous for anyone to be going out in a storm like this." Moon set down his clipboard and glanced towards the lobby where they could faintly make out the torrential rain outside. "Ms. Crawley grab some candles from upstairs. We're going to wait out the storm in here."

Ms. Crawley ambled away and a few minutes later after a few crashes and bangs she returned with an armful of candles. Eddie produced a box of matches and one by one they lit the candles. Everyone sat in a circle around the candles, awkwardly glancing around as if trying to decide what to do.

Ash glanced once more at Meena and Johnny who were sitting side by side to the right of her. Their hands accidentally brushed and both jumped away from each other, blushing brightly and clearing their throats. Ash rolled her eyes and looked away from them. Their awkwardness was making her sick to her stomach. Why couldn't they just animal up and tell each other how they feel?

Suddenly it hit her like a freight train and a huge grin began forming on her face.

"Anybody wanna play truth or dare?" she asked the group, the look on her face saying that they really had no choice in the matter.

"What is this truth or dare game?" Moon asked curiously, looking at Ash as if she was speaking some foreign language. Ash groaned in exasperation and laid down on her stomach so that she was comfortable.

"It's a game people play at parties when they don't have anything better to do. You ask someone truth or dare they choose one and depending on their choice you either dare them to do something or make them tell the truth about anything you want." she explained, trying not to let on just how excited she was to finally get some dirt of her friends. If Moon was on board then she was almost guaranteed to get her way.

"Sounds like fun! I'm in." Moon said cheerfully and slowly everyone else followed suit. Mrs. Crawley opted out because she was already half asleep and by the time the game started she was snoring in her spot on the floor.

They started with Buster who was not-so-shockingly terrible at the game. He wasted his first turn daring Johnny to do a handstand. The nimble gorilla easily completed the task and then sat back down next to Meena.

Eddie's attempt was only slightly better when he made Ash reveal the title of her next album: _Bad Reputation_. She had kept the album locked down since she started writing but she had to respect the rules of the game.

When Mike was told it was his turn he merely glared at them all and went back to texting furiously on his phone. Ash rolled her eyes at his attitude but motioned for a nervous Rosita to go next. She cautiously dared Gunter to put on a hand-knitted sweater that she pulled out of her giant mom bag. The flamboyant pig reluctantly slipped it over his head and struck a few dance poses in it to make sure that he could still move the way he wanted to. Satisfied that he could still act normally he sat back down and asked Rosita which of her piglets was her favorite.

Rosita looked so stricken at the thought of favoring one child over the others that they quickly moved onto Ash. Ash looked over at Meena and Johnny who both tensed when they saw the mischievous look in her eyes. Deciding to give them a little more time in their little fantasy world, Ash turned to Moon and asked him the question that she had been dying to ask for nearly a year.

"So Moon. Where exactly do you live?" she eagerly leaned forward, waiting for his answer. Moon just laughed off any embarrassment that went along with answering the question and gave her a straight answer.

"Why in my desk drawer here at the theatre of course." he grinned and everyone else went silent for a few seconds. They all gaped at him in shock but the little koala seemed unfazed by the question. Eddie leaned over and wrapped a friendly arm around his shoulders.

"Maybe you should invest in an apartment Buster." he chuckled and suddenly the tension was broken as they all broke out in giggles. The game continued for another round as the dares and truths progressively became more and more personal in nature.

Finally it was Ash's turn once more and this time she was showing no mercy. The first round of candles that they had lit were starting to flicker and go out so Ash had to squint in order to make eye contact with her first victim, Johnny.

"Alright Johnny boy, truth or dare?" she smirked and Johnny gulped nervously before shakily answering her.

"Truth…I mean Dare!" he sighed and sat back, ready to accept whatever fate Ash had in store for him.

"I dare you…." she held the pause for a few seconds just to torture him before leaning forward and grinning triumphantly. "…to kiss Meena!"

Meena and Johnny immediately turned bright red and refused to meet each other's gaze.

"Wot?! I can't do that I-" but Ash refused to let Johnny cop out of the dare. Everyone else around the circle was watching the interaction with surprise but no one else was saying anything to stop them.

"What? Are you saying that you don't want to kiss her?" Ash egged Johnny on as the Meena watched in shock and the gorilla became more and more flustered.

"Nah! I mean I-" but Ash cut Johnny off once more. She could see that she was starting to get to him, and her friend would break at any moment.

"Well then what's holding you back Boy Scout? Are you scared?" she teased and Johnny turned impossibly red, sputtering out some unintelligible responses. Ash just smirked at him and the gorilla glared at her.

"Fine. Ya win." he muttered. Quickly he leaned forward, blew out the candles and enveloped them all in darkness once more. Under the cover of darkness he wrapped his arm around Meena and pulled her in close before sealing his lips over hers. Despite her surprise, Meena wrapped her arms around him in turn and returned the kiss.

A few minutes later when Buster found more candles and relit them, Johnny and Meena had a respectable distance between them and weren't looking at each other. Despite this Ash's grin only grew. She played dumb to avoid embarrassing her best friends.

"You guys are no fun." she pouted and looked down to hide the grin that threatened to break her cover.

At that moment Mike returned from his cell phone call lugging a big deck of playing cards with him.

"Alright you dolts. Enough of this mamby pamby truth or dare nonsense. It's time to play a real game." He threw down the pack of cards and Ash frowned. She and the mouse never really got along, it seemed that every word that came out of his little mouth made her angry.

"Oh yeah pipsqueak? What do you suggest?" she retaliated but Mike just smirked in response and began dealing out the cards.

"Poker." he said snarkily and grinned cheesily up at Ash.

"Bring it on Tiny." she smirked and began looking over her cards. Out of the corner of her eye she caught sight of Johnny and Meena brushing their hands together and giving each other a meaningful look, but for their sake she pretended not to see.

 _Mission Accomplished._


	3. Frustration

"You're coming to dinner with us after rehearsal right Ash?" Meena asked eagerly as she watched her friend pack up her guitar and various pieces of sheet music that were covered in Ash's scribblings.

"Sure Meena. Who is us?" Ash asked as she led the elephant out of her practice room, shutting off the lights as they walked out.

"Well um…Me and Johnny." she smiled nervously and Ash sighed inwardly. Despite her frustration she maintained the friendly smile on her face, she wouldn't dare upset Meena. Her best friend was just too sensitive to other's disappointment and the last thing Ash ever wanted to do was make Meena sad. Now that she thought about it that was probably the reason Johnny sent Meena to ask her rather than coming himself.

"Sounds like a good time. Where are we headed?" Ash assumed that they would be headed to their usual haunt, a diner a couple blocks away that served the best milkshakes in town. Johnny was a sucker for a good peanut butter and chocolate milkshake with whipped cream and a cherry. The gorilla regressed back to his childhood as soon as the milkshake appeared in front of him. It was actually pretty funny to see it happen.

"Probably the Starlight Diner." Meena shrugged and her eyes glazed over for a second as her thoughts obviously turned towards Johnny. "Johnny really wants one of those milkshakes so it's gonna be perfect. At least if that's okay with you?" she gave Ash a pleading look and Ash smiled back up at her.

"C'mon Meena you know I love their wildberry salad." she elbowed her friend playfully and Meena's smile grew.

"Great!" Meena clapped eagerly and rushed ahead of Ash to find Johnny. After she was out of earshot Ash groaned and slumped a little bit, having her own mini fit there in the hall.

She froze when she heard a light chuckle behind her and she spun around to find Rosita watching her with an amused look on her face. "Young lady what in the world was that?" she laughed, pursing her lips in an attempt to appear stern.

"I'm being dragged on another unofficial date with Meena and Johnny." Ash groaned and slumped against the wall.

"Unofficial date?" Rosita asked, frowning in confusion. Ash glanced around to make sure that neither Meena nor Johnny were within earshot.

"Yeah. Those two idiots are so head over heels for each other that they're too oblivious to even notice. SO whenever they wanna spend time together they drag me along as a buffer. I'm just gonna spend the whole night watching them make goo goo eyes at each other." She gave another dramatic sigh and banged her head against the wall in frustration.

Rosita immediately went into "mom advice mode" and offered up her purse full of goodies to Ash who eagerly sorted through it until she found her favorite pack of gum. She pulled out two pieces, unwrapping one and popping it in her mouth while she put the other stick in her pocket for later.

"Well it sounds to me like you just need to tell them how you feel or else nothing is going to change." Rosita patted her head and then began heading for the exit, an extra bounce in her step.

"Sure. Like it's gonna be that easy." Ash said sarcastically and then picked up her guitar case once more and headed out to the main stage where Johnny and Meena were talking quietly. She took a deep breath, pasted a smile on her face and strolled over to where her friends were waiting. She shoved her guitar case into Johnny's arms and shoved her hands into her pockets.

Johnny accepted the guitar case without protest and slung it over his shoulder. it was custom for him to carry Ash's guitar case and be the driver to the diner since he rarely had the money to pay for a full meal. Neither of the girls really minded considering his unique home situation.

"Let's get a move on I'm fricking starving." she said loudly as she led the way down the hall and towards the lobby. Johnny and Meena exchanged amused smiles as they followed her to the car. Ash was waiting by the truck when they caught up to her, looking around with a bored look on her face and a growing gum bubble coming from her mouth.

Johnny hurried to unlock the truck and held the door open for Ash as she slid into the middle seat. He held out a hand for Meena and helped her into the truck even though she obviously didn't need his help. He closed the door once both of the girls were settled and then ran over to the driver's side, first depositing Ash's guitar case behind the front seat. He hopped in excitedly and started up the truck. The rolled down the windows and Johnny cranked up the radio. Soon they were all singing to an old Baboon 5 song: _Harder to Breathe._

Ash's smile grew a bit more genuine as she bobbed her head to the strong guitar parts of the song. Soon enough she joined her friends in belting out the chorus. They pulled up to a stoplight just before the diner, music still pumping and their voices drawing attention from other drivers and passersby. Ash took a moment to glance at Meena to see how she was handling all of the newfound attention but Meena wasn't even looking at their spectators, her eyes were glued to Johnny as they harmonized through the chorus. Ash smiled and nodded to herself.

 _Yeah these two are made for each other._ She thought, _But that doesn't make third-wheeling any less torturous._

Conveniently the song ended just as they pulled up to the diner and they all jumped out of the truck still beaming from their impromptu car performance. Johnny hurried ahead of the girls so that he could hold open the door like the gentleman that he was. Ash winked at him before strutting up to the hostess and asking for their usual table next to the window.

The young antelope smiled and handed her three menus. Ash put them under her arm and led the way to their table. She sat on one side of the spacious booth while Meena and Johnny slid into the other. Ash had to physically stop herself from rolling her eyes at them and instead hid slightly behind her menu. After about a minute a curvy, older water buffalo wearing glasses and a stained apron bustled over to the table with her pad of paper.

"Well hey kiddos. What can I get for ya'll this time?" she smiled warmly at them and held her pen over her pad, ready at any moment to scribble down their orders. Ash ordered the Wildberry Salad, her usual; Meena ordered an Eggplant Lasagna; and Johnny eagerly ordered the Roots and Shoots Casserole with a Peanut Butter and Chocolate milkshake. Ash playfully rolled her eyes at his obvious excitement over the shake while Meena let out a giggle and struck up a conversation about their latest show. It was still in the planning stages and therefore they were all still trying to pick out what song to sing for it.

When Meena asked her what she would be singing Ash just smirked and said she would surprise them with a new song from the album she was currently working on. They grilled her for a few minutes trying to get more details but Ash stubbornly clammed up and refused to say anything else about it. Eventually Johnny turned the attention back to Meena's choice and they began discussing possible song options. Ash tuned them out as she fiddled with her phone, vigorously playing level 300 of Candy Crush. When she was unsuccessful in beating the level for the 10th time she threw down her phone in frustration and tuned back into the conversation.

"-'m not sure if tha' song is good enuff fer yer voice Meena. Ya need a song jus' as beautiful as ya-yer voice." Ash watched the obvious verbal stumble with amusement. Both of her friends were blushing slightly, Johnny a little more so than Meena for a change.

"You really think so Johnny?" Meena asked shyly, looking up at him through her eyelashes. Suddenly their eyes were glued to each other's and they slowly started leaning closer to each other.

"O' course I do Meena." Johnny said quietly, obviously mesmerized. The moment was immediately shattered by the arrival of their food. The waitress was skillfully balancing their plates on a tray on her shoulder and she speedily handed them out in a way that only an experienced waitress can.

"Thanks Sherry." Ash nodded to their usual waitress and dug into her food, trying her best to ignore the longing looks that her friends were sending each other when the other wasn't looking.

About twenty minutes later they were finished with their dinner and Sherry brought over the bill and Johnny's towering milkshake. As always Sherry dropped off a couple of spoons with a smile before hurrying off to take care of the rest of her customers.

Johnny eagerly dug into his milkshake, looking at the sweet confection like a child looks at a new toy on Christmas. Meena was watching him devour the treat, a soft smile on her face, the same smile that she always got when she was mooning over Johnny. After a few minutes, Johnny noticed Meena watching him and turned bright red in embarrassment. He swallowed the large bite that was in his mouth and offered up a spoonful to Meena.

"Didja want sum Meena?" he asked bashfully and Meena nodded shyly. She opened her mouth to thank him and leaned in to get the spoon from him when the gorilla did something that neither girl was expecting. He leaned forward as well and skillfully fed Meena the bite. Meena and Ash stared at him in shock, Meena's eyes as wide as they could go while Ash's jaw was on the floor it had dropped so quickly. Meena recovered first and swallowed the bite, withdrawing the spoon from her mouth.

"Thanks." she whispered.

"Yer welcome." Johnny whispered back, both of them leaning in once more.

It was in that moment that Ash decided that she had had enough of this nonsense. Rosita's advice had been bouncing around in her head since they sat down and she was bout to take it and deliver it to her friends in hr own special way. She banged her fist on the table to get their attention, her face screwed up in a mix of an annoyed look and a mischievous smirk. Both Meena and Johnny jumped at the sudden reminder of Ash's presence. Before either of her friends could say anything Ash spoke up in a voice that was just loud enough for the people around them to hear.

"Hey Johnny wanna know what's worse than being a third wheel?" she asked and Johnny froze under her scrutiny, doing a very good impression of a deer caught in the headlights.

"Uh…. no Ash, what's worse?" he asked, confusion coloring his tone. He exchanged a concerned look with Meena who just shrugged slightly. Ash calmly stood up on the booth and leaned over the table so she was closer to them. Somehow in that moment, despite being about a third of their size, she was beyond intimidating.

"Being third wheel to TWO MORONS WHO WON'T ADMIT THEY'RE A COUPLE!" she suddenly roared. Both of her friends turned cherry red and the entire restaurant turned to watch the scene that was unfolding. Satisfied that she had made her point, Ash took out her wallet, threw down enough money for the bill and hopped down and out of the booth.

"So enjoy your first date. On me. And stop torturing me with this whole unofficial third wheel thing." With that she turned around and walked out of the restaurant, high-fiving Sherry and the hostess as she left.

And just like that the animals of the diner went about their normal business and Meena and Johnny were left staring nervously at each other. They sat in silence for a little while before Johnny finally broke the silence.

"So…do ya want anovver bite?" he asked with that crooked smile that always made Meena's heart pound in her chest. She just let out a little giggle and let him feed her another bite.

One thought resounded through everyone's heads, even Ash who had long since began her walk to the subway.

 **Finally.**


	4. I Like You

Meena was looking down at her sheet music, her headphones drowning out the world around her as she mouthed the lyrics to herself. She was in her personal practice room going over the lyrics for their charity performance tomorrow. Tomorrow was the Broken Heart's Children's benefit at city hall. The fundraiser was being held to collect money for the children's hospital and their research into heart diseases, thus the mayor thought it appropriate to hold on Valentine's Day. Initially Meena had been devastated. She and her boyfriend had plans for Valentine's Day, but eventually she realized that her plans were outweighed by the needs of the children at the hospital, and their performance was sure to draw more patrons and donations. So she had resigned herself to celebrate Valentine's Day performing at the benefit. She swayed gently with the music, her voice ringing out slightly when a certain chord struck her. She was wholly unprepared for what was about to befall her.

Johnny strode confidently through the backstage area of the Moon Theatre, looking for his girlfriend. He smiled at Rosita as he passed her and gave her a thumbs up when she nodded towards Meena's practice room. Johnny snuck up to the doorway and leaned against it for a minute, watching Meena move slightly to the beat that only she could hear. He admired her with a smitten smile, his heart melting in his chest when her sweet voice echoed through the room.

Deciding that he had watched her enjoy the music by herself for too long he snuck up behind her, purposefully making his steps lighter so that she wouldn't hear him. Gently, he removed her headphones, but stopped her from turning around when she gasped in surprise. He gently placed the headphones on a nearby stool and turned up the next song that began playing on the soundtrack, Meena's favorite Ben Gator songs. She loved it so much and played it so often that Johnny had every word memorized.

He began singing along with the song, his voice slightly louder than the recording so Meena was mainly focused on his voice. He ambled slowly over to her, bouncing to the beat with each step.

 _There's no need to complicate it_

 _Dress it up or overstate it_

 _Without too much hesitation_

 _Here's the way I feel_

He spun Meena around and revealed her grinning, blushing face to him. Her ears were flared slightly now that she knew that it was him in her practice room and not anyone else. Her cheeks were a beautiful rosy pink and her beautiful face shone with the pure happiness that flowed from her smile. Johnny took her hand and grinned crookedly up at her, drawing out a giggle from her. He slowly began to walk around her, making her follow his motion as he gently held her hand.

 _I like you, I like you_

 _Even when I don't try to_

 _Yes, I do, that's the truth_

 _I like you_

He stopped moving and pulled her close so that they were chest-to-chest and swaying slightly to the beat. Meena rested her head on his shoulder contentedly as they swayed, the smiled never leaving her face.

 _Seven years is a long, long while_

 _Somehow you still make me smile_

 _I'd say almost most the time_

 _Here's the way I feel_

Johnny slowly and deliberately pulled away from Meena and stepped away so that they were only connected by their joined hands. He, once again slowly and deliberately pulled her back in close with a twirl. Meena easily followed his cues and twirled slowly before returning to Johnny's embrace.

 _I like you, I just like you_

 _Even when I don't try to_

 _Yes, I do, that's the truth_

 _I like you_

Meena giggled at Johnny's overstated movements and the mock serious look that he was trying to sell to her. He cracked a grin reflexively when she looked up at him as they swayed. He simply couldn't resist her joy, it was infectious. He slowed down their gentle sway and cupped her cheek in his hand, his thumb gently caressing her soft cheek.

 _There are way too many love songs_

 _And I think they've got it all wrong_

 _Cause life is not the mountain tops_

 _It's the walking in between_

 _And I like you walking next to me_

The blush that had faded from her cheeks returned with a vengeance once his full attention was on her. She looked up at him through her lashes and opened her mouth to say something but Johnny sped up their dancing enough that they were spinning slightly and moving in whatever way felt right. Meena laughed outright when he started bobbing his head in an exaggerated manner to the song.

 _Well, I like you, I like you_

 _Even when I don't try to_

 _Yes, I do, that's the truth_

 _I like you_

Suddenly Johnny sobered up slightly and slowed their dance to a crawl once more, their hips only moving slightly. He leaned in and whispered the last line of the song against her lips just before he captured them with his own.

 _Even when I don't try to_

 _I still like you_

Their hands still clasped together, the young couple continued to sway as they kissed sweetly. Slowly, reluctantly, Johnny pulled away from the kiss and reached into his jacket. Meena watched him curiously but her curious look changed to one of pleasant surprise when he pulled a fresh picked Daisy and a slightly crumpled heart-shaped card out of his jacket pocket. Johnny smiled sheepishly and handed the gifts over to Meena. He didn't have too much money left over from their shows since he spent the majority of it fixing up the garage and investing in the theatre, and the rest went to retaining a lawyer for his father and his uncles. They were currently immersed in the parole process and if all went well and the lawyer lived up to his name, Big Daddy and the gang would be out on parole within the next few months. Meena wasn't too wrapped up in material things anyway so the fact that he couldn't afford a Valentine's Day present for her was no point of contention between the two.

She opened the heart-shaped card eagerly and her smile softened when she read the words that were scrawled on the inside.

 **My days are filled with yearning;  
My nights are full of dreams.  
I'm always thinking of you;  
I'm in a trance, it seems.  
You're all I ever wanted;  
I wish you would be mine;  
And so I have to ask you:**

Meena looked up in confusion when she found that the rest of the card was blank, but her confusion was broken by a gasp when she found Johnny standing there with a beautiful bouquet of daisies and a nervous smile. Tears welled up in her eyes as he offered the bouquet to her and finished the little poem.

"Will ya be me valentine?" he asked softly and one tear broke away from her eyes and rolled down her cheek. Before he could say anything else she threw herself at him and embraced him tightly in her arms. He chuckled at the sudden impact and set down the bouquet before wrapping her up in his arms and placing kisses all over her face. Meena looked up at him, her eyes still watery, but her smile as bright as he had ever seen it.

"Is tha' a yes?" he asked playfully and Meena's musical laugh joined his. She leaned forward so that their lips were inches from each other.

"Of course." she whispered and then he surged forward and captured her lips once more.

It seems that they had been able to have their Valentine's Day after all.


	5. First Date, First Kiss

"Meena! Meena he's here!" Meena's mother, Leslie, yelled excitedly as she dashed away from the window and to her daughter's room. Meena rolled her eyes at her mother's excitement, but she couldn't deny the butterflies that were swarming in her stomach. She nervously smoothed out the skirt of her dress and checked her appearance in the mirror for what seemed like the billionth time. Deciding that it was as good as it was gonna get she turned around and headed out to meet her mom in the hallway. Leslie was excitedly bouncing in the hallway, smiling so hard it looked like her face might break at any moment.

"I'll go get the camera!" she squealed and disappeared towards her room. Meena let out a long-suffering sigh and walked into the living room where her grandparents were sitting on the couch watching TV. She hurried past them, trying to avoid any lecture on boys that her grandfather had prepared for the evening. Just as she entered the hallway there was a gentle knock at the door. For a moment she froze, her heart pounding loudly in her throat as the anticipation rose steadily. After a minute of two she shook herself and practically dove for the door, almost wrenching it off the hinges in her excitement to see the boy on the other side.

Her pounding heart stopped as soon as her baby blue eyes met his warm chocolate ones. He was leaning on the doorjamb casually but as soon as she opened the door he stood up straight and an adorably crooked smile spread across his face.

"H-Hey Johnny." she breathed out and nervously fiddled with her dress, shyly looking down at the ground.

"Wotcha beautiful." Johnny winked and Meena felt her face heat up immediately. She had never been called beautiful by anyone outside of her family before, and hearing the compliment from someone like Johnny made it worth so much more.

Meena was studiously keeping her gaze low, too nervous to make eye contact with her date. Suddenly a delicate white flowers appeared in her line of sight. She looked up in surprise and a bright smile lit up her entire face. When she smiled Johnny's cheeks turned a light shade of red and he quickly reached up and tucked the flower behind her left ear. Once it was gently nestled in place his long fingers traced down behind her ear and around to her chin, sending her into a fit of giggles at the ticklish sensation. Johnny just let out a soft chuckle of his own and lifted her chin so that she was looking up at him once more.

"Perfect." His soft smile made her heart give a little excited flutter. Meena was starting to get used to the feeling when Johnny was around, and definitely when he looked at her like that. He looked her over, memorizing the way that she looked in her simple forest green dress with his daisy tucked behind her ear. The rosy blush on her cheeks only made her more beautiful in his opinion. "Ya look beautiful." his voice lowered a couple octaves and his smile was exchanged for a look of awe.

"You look…very nice." she stumbled over her words and kicked herself immediately for her lousy compliment. He looked dashing in those dark jeans, the white button up and the slim blue tie that was hanging loosely around his neck. Instead of being offended by her weak compliment Johnny smiled gently and ran one of his fingers over her jawline. She leaned closer into his touch and the air between them was suddenly charged with something unseen.

An excited squeal and the flash of a camera shattered the moment. "You two are just precious!" Leslie cooed and Meena jumped away from Johnny to glare half-heartedly at her mother.

"Mom." she groaned in embarrassment and rolled her eyes when her mother held up the camera again.

"C'mon give me a couple more baby." she begged in a way that only a mother could, but Meena was adamant that the picture-taking stop. She was arguing with her mother over the camera when her grandfather hobbled into the hallway and made a beeline towards poor Johnny who had been watching the mother-daughter squabble with an amused grin.

"I got some things to tell you young man." Her grandfather yelled out as he tried to hobble faster. As soon as his voice rang through the hall Meena and her mother froze. They exchanged a silent look before Leslie kissed her on the forehead, quickly hugged Johnny and then hurried over to stall her father. Meena grabbed a startled Johnny by the arm and hurried out of the house. They had almost made it to the sanctuary of Johnny's truck when Meena's grandfather's voice echoed through the quiet night.

"You have her home by ten boy! Ya hear?" Meena out her head down in shame and hurried the rest of the way to the truck. When they reached it, Johnny stopped her warpath and opened the door for her, still smiling despite the antics of her family. It was then that Meena regained a little bit of her hope that the night would be as magical as she had imagined.

Once she had comfortably positioned herself in her seat Johnny shut her door and hurried around to his side of the car, an extra skip in his step as he jogged slightly. He hopped into the truck and fired up the engine. The car roared to life and then began to purr happily as they pulled away down her street towards the city center. In sync they rolled down the windows and let the warm night air fill their senses. The air smelled like spring and the warmth was comforting. Meena felt herself relaxing slightly into the worn leather seats of the truck. Johnny was humming a random tune to himself as he expertly navigated the streets. Where normally she would feel suffocated by the silence that enveloped them, she suddenly didn't feel the need to fill the silence with words or fidgeting. She just leaned her head back, closed her eyes slightly and let the sensations of the world around her calm her jitters.

After a few minutes the car slowed and came to a stop. Meena opened her eyes too look around, but a dark, long-fingered hand covered her eyes before she could see anything that would give her a clue. She jumped slightly at the unexpected contact and from somewhere to her let she heard a slightly nervous chuckle that must have been Johnny.

"Daan't open yer eyes just yet." His voice was low, somewhere between a whisper and his normal voice, "I want this ter be a surprise." Meena didn't say anything in response, just let out a little laugh and then nodded in agreement. Slowly the pressure of her hands over her eyes went away, but she kept up her end of the deal and kept her eyes sealed shut.

She heard the slam of a car door as Johnny got out of the truck, some rustling in the back, and then her door was being opened and his gentle, but strong hand was helping her out of the truck. She was a bit unsteady on her feet without her most important sense so when Johnny's hand started to slip out of hers she grabbed onto it with a new strength without even noticing.

"Daan't worry. I've got ya." He whispered and gave her a small squeeze to let her know that he was there. He picked something up off of the ground and then they began walking towards their destination.

They walked for a few minutes and soon the sound of rushing water grew closer and closer. When he finally stopped her she was itching to open her eyes and see where they were but he hadn't told her that it was okay yet so she was once more standing in complete confusion, waiting for him to reveal this surprise. She heard some rustling of his movement nearby and after a few more noises that she couldn't quite identify he grasped her hand once more.

"Okay. Open." he said in her ear and Meena eagerly let her eyes fall open so that she could take in her surprise. She gasped aloud when she saw exactly what it was. They were in the center of the city park near a gorgeous marble fountain. On the ground were a large, soft blanket, a picnic basket full of various dishes and two bottles of her favorite soda. She felt some tears trying to break free from her eyes so to fend them off she turned to Johnny, who was still nervously awaiting her reaction to their date

"It's better than perfect." she grinned with excitement and hurried over to the blanket to inspect all that he had done. They snacked on the food that he claimed to have made but Meena was not too easily fooled. She knew Rosita's casseroles from a mile away and he was definitely not the one who made the casserole that he offered her. She would have said something except that he looked so excited and proud of himself for putting together a picnic. She couldn't bring herself to ruin the moment, even if she wanted to. When the food was gone and all they had left was the sodas that they had been sipping on Meena lay back on the blanket and stared up at the clear night sky above them.

Johnny followed her example and lay down next to her, but his eyes were on her rather than the twinkling stars. Suddenly Meena pointed up at the sky, tracing an invisible line with her hand. "That's the Leo constellation." She said softly and Johnny watched her face as she traced constellation after constellation until the night sky was filled with her voice. Johnny decided in that moment that he would forever associate those stars with her, they were her stars.

Once she had found all of the major constellations Meena turned to gauge Johnny's reaction her dorky fascination with stars and their imaginary connections. Instead of the boredom that she expected he looked fascinated, but not at the stars, rather at her. His head was propped up on one hand and he was watching her narrate the night with a soft smile and wide eyes.

"I um… I've always loved the stars." she said, trying to break the silence that filled the void left by her voice. Johnny rolled over and lay on his back, turning his attention to the sky once more.

"Sha me more of them." he requested softly. When she didn't immediately start talking again he pointed out a bright little star that caught his eye. "What's that wahn called?"

"That one is called Betelgeuse." she tentatively began naming every star that he pointed out in the sky until Johnny had exhausted all of the stars that caught his interest. They lapsed into a contented silence and Meena marveled at the stars above her and the boy next to her. This night seemed like destiny. Everything felt so right it was almost too perfect.

Suddenly she felt the warmth of his hand slide over to hers and grip her hand gently. She let out a small squeak of surprise but she didn't protest, rather she enjoyed the feel of his warmth and his presence. She felt more connected to him than she ever had in that moment. She heard footsteps nearby and turned her head to watch the street performers as they walked towards the fountain and began to set up nearby. She eagerly turned her head to Johnny and caught him smiling in excitement at the impromptu performance that was about to make the date he planned even better.

Meena released his hand and got up, hurrying over to the musicians. Johnny watched her go in confusion, and slowly got up, following her at a less hurried pace. She was leaning over and whispering in the ear of the crocodile with the acoustic guitar, and as he neared them he surreptitiously leaned in to hear what they were saying. As if sensing his intentions Meena ceased her whispering and slowly walked over to where he was standing in front of the fountain. Her smile was simultaneously excited and nervous as she came to stand in front of him and the guitarist began to play a beautiful melody on his instrument. Eventually the antelope next to him joined in with his violin and their music melded perfectly.

Johnny was watching the crocodile's fingers dance over the string s of the guitar expertly when Meena's soft voice hit him. Immediately all of his attention was on her and the song that she was singing.

" _A dangerous plan, just this time_

 _A stranger's hand, clutched in mine"_

Johnny looked down as Meena's hand came back to boldly clutch his. His smile grew and he squeezed her hand back reassuringly, encouraging her to continue with the song.

" _I'll take this chance, so call me blind_

 _I've been waiting all my life_

 _Please don't scar this young heart_

 _Just take my hand"_

Johnny happily took her other hand and they began to sway slowly with the beat of the music. The tempo increased at the rhino began to beat his drum in time with her voice. Johnny spun them around, his smile getting bigger with every step. Her voice was still soft and light but it was nonetheless starting to draw a bit of crowd as the other patrons in the park heard the music.

" _I was made for loving you_

 _Even though we may be hopeless hearts just passing through_

 _Every bone screaming "I don't know what we should do"_

 _All I know is, darling, I was made for loving you"_

Sensing that Meena was starting to get nervous with their new audience he decided to take over the next verse, his smooth voice pulling her attention away from her nerves and back to him. She was caught in his gaze like a tractor beam that she didn't ever want to escape.

" **Hold me close through the night**

 **Don't let me go, we'll be alright**

 **Touch my soul and hold it tight**

 **I've been waiting all my life**

 **I won't scar your young heart**

 **Just take my hand** _ **"**_

The tempo rose once more just as Meena's confidence returned. Her voice joined his as they sang and spun, dancing around the grassy area in complete synchronization.

" _ **Cause I was made for loving you**_

 _ **Even though we may be hopeless hearts just passing through**_

 _Every bone screaming_ _ **I don't know what we should do**_

 _ **All I know is, darling, I was made for loving you"**_

Johnny leaned forward and rested his forehead against her as they spun around again. His senses were overwhelmed by the beat of the music, their increasingly fast dance, and her. She always overwhelmed him, and he hoped that there was never a day that she didn't.

 _ **Please don't go, I've been waiting so long**_

 _Oh, you don't even know me at all_

 _But I was made for loving you_

He let her take the lead for a few verses, eager to hear her strong voice for himself. His heart was pounding loudly in his ears and he watched her give in to the music and lose any trace of nervousness. It was a beautiful transformation to watch. He jumped back into the song with a rather fancy move that sent Meena spinning away from him and then pulled her in close to his chest.

 _ **I was made for loving you**_

 _ **Even though we may be hopeless hearts just passing through**_

 _ **Every bone screaming**_ _I don't know what we should do_

Her voice was so strong and seemed to burst from her chest, drowning him out slightly as she threw her head back and let it loose. Johnny followed Meena's movements and dipped her low to the ground as the music died down. She seemed to come back from a trance and gazed up at him with so much happiness that her blue eyes seemed to sparkle.

 _ **All I know is, darling, I was made for loving you**_

The music fading out behind them and the modest cheering of the crowd they had drawn rising, but he didn't seem to notice. He slowly helped her stand back up, his arm still around her waist. The performers struck up a new song and the crowd moved in to listen. Johnny led Meena back to their blanket to gather their things. In a daze a he packed everything up and led the way back to the car.

When he came to a fork in the path he stopped and in a splint decision, decided to take the long way around. He reached behind him and took Meena's hand, leading her towards a small bridge that stood over a quiet brook. They stopped in the center of the bridge and leaned over the railing, staring at each other in the reflection of the water. Gathering his courage, Johnny stood up straight and turned to Meena, but she was ready for him. As soon as he faced her she leaned forward and captured his lips in hers.

Johnny's world exploded in fireworks and his eyes slid shut of their own volition so that all he could feel was the sensation of their kiss. He shaky hands came up and cupped Meena's face, bringing her in closer and deepening their kiss. His heart was pounding in his chest, trying to decide whether to stop of beat so fast that it came out of his chest. He didn't care which as long as he could continue kissing her.

 _My first kiss_. Meena was in awe of the magical feeling. It felt like her heart was so light that she might float up and away, joining her beloved stars up in the heavens. Her eyes had been closed before their lips even touched, just in case the kiss was unwelcome. By the way that Johnny's arms wrapped around her waist and pulled her in closer it was definitely welcome. Tentatively she brought her arms up around his neck and they fell into place wrapped up in each other.

Eventually the need to breath pushed them away from each other and despite the intense need that Johnny felt to capture her again, the part of him that was a gentleman refused to let him give into his urges. By the way that she was panting slightly and the glassy look in her eyes, he could tell that this was her first kiss. And he would make it special by preserving it in this night.

He did, however, pulled her into his arms once more, hugging her tight. She rested her head in the crook of his neck and he kissed her forehead affectionately. They remained like that, on that magical little bridge, for a few more minutes. Slowly he pulled back so that he could look at her fully.

"This has been the best night of my life." she said softly, looking straight at him with an uncharacteristic courage. Johnny felt a burst of pride surge through him and his crooked grin made an appearance once more.

"Me too Meena, me too." he stroked her face and kissed her forehead once more. "Na let's get ya home. It's almost ten." he winked and Meena giggled at his comment. Nevertheless he picked up the picnic basket in one hand and grasped Meena's in the other.

And with the light of the stars as their guide, they made their way home.


	6. The Grand Plot Part 1

"I'm sure you're all wondering why I called you here today." Ash spun around in Moon's office chair, a cup of StarBuck's coffee clasped in one hand while the other rested casually on the arm of the chair. Assembled before her were her friends, everyone except the topic of the conversation, Meena and Johnny. Rosita, Eddie, Buster, and Gunter were standing on the other side of the desk, looking extremely confused.

Moon eyed her place in his precious chair but Ash just ignored him and took a long draught of her coffee "We have a serious and super annoying problem on our hands." she jumped down from the chair and walked over to the front of the desk. Everyone else remained silent, waiting to hear what exactly she had to say.

"There are two idiots here that need a little push. You must have noticed that Meena and Johnny are missing from this meeting. That's because these two dorks have no idea that they are hopelessly in love with each other. Sooo we are going to help them figure it out." She put down her coffee and leaned back against the desk, her arms crossed over her chest. "I'm open to suggestions."

Gunter immediately raised his hand did an excited little dance to get her attention. Ash sighed and gave everyone else a chance to put up their hand before grudgingly gesturing for Gunter to share his idea.

Hunter immediately did a little celebration dance and then launched into his plan. "Ok zo here is vat ve are koing to do. Ve lock zem in ein clozet for ein couble of hours and poom! Zey are in loffe foreffer! It iz genius no?"

For a second they all just looked at Gunter in surprise, shocked that a good idea actually came from his rambling, eccentric mind. Gunter just stared back at them, a gigantic smile overtaking his face.

Ash nodded slowly, a mischievous smile spreading across her face. "I can't believe that I'm about to say this but… that idea is perfect." She high-fived the energetic pig and an elaborate plot began forming in her mind.

"Except we put them in a practice booth instead. That way we can see what's going on." Ash rubbed her hands together and let out a little chuckle, "This is gonna be good."

"Wait." Buster stopped her in her tracks and she spun around to glare at him. Buster adjusted his tie and stood up as tall as he could, "Now I'm in support of this plan but it must be carried out after hours. I don't want this to interfere with practice time and show times." He looked meaningfully at Ash who just rolled her eyes and shrugged.

"Fine. We won't do it during practice." She grumbled and Buster nodded, satisfied with her answer.

"So you're in?" She asked and he grinned at her, nodding his assent.

"Eddie." She turned to the nervous looking sheep and he immediately froze under her scrutinizing gaze.

"Uhhhh." He looked down at Buster who gave him an encouraging grin and a good-natured shove. Eddie shrugged and nodded to Ash who mentally tallied up her squad. She didn't even ask Gunter considering that he gave her the plan on a silver platter, and he was generally excited about anything. She turned to Rosita, her final recruit, who was nervously fiddling with her bright yellow purse.

"What is it Rosita?" She asked and Rosita let out a small sigh.

"I'm just not sure that we should meddle in something like this. I mean what happens if our plan backfires and they end up hating each other! We can't destroy their friendship." The panic rose in her voice and she clutched her bag tighter to her chest. Ash hurried over to her and put a comforting hand on her back. She rubbed it gently to calm her down and looked around awkwardly for help but everyone was just watching them with concerned looks on her face. Ash could see that she was losing them to Rosita's doubts so she quickly tried to recover the situation.

"C'mon guys. This is Meena and Johnny we're talking about. I'm pretty sure that Johnny doesn't even have the ability to insult someone, or even be impolite I'm pretty sure. Also do you really think that Meena could ever hate anyone? Especially Johnny." The worried looks disappeared as she spoke and slowly she felt their confidence in the plan coming back. "Plus this is an awesome mission. These two deserve each other and you know it."

Rosita nodded confidently and stood up from the chair she had been perched on and put her hand up in the air. "Let's do this!" Everyone else quickly joined in one the pow wow except for Ash, who watched them with a grimace on her face and her arms crossed over her chest. Buster saw that she wasn't joining them and frowned, gesturing for her to join them.

"C'mon moody teenager. This is your plan and if you want to go through with it you need to put your hand in the circle." Ash groaned and reluctantly added her hand on top of the pile and everyone else threw their hands up in the air and cheered.

"Woohoo." Ash said sarcastically and moved as far away from them as she could. "Adults are such dorks." she murmured to herself and the banged her fist on the desk to get everyone's attention once more.

"We don't have much time to come up with a solid plan before Meena and Johnny get back from getting lunch so let's get to work people. I want this thing completely hashed out before we try anything. Let's get to work." She clapped her hands and for the next couple of days they all met up and worked on the plan, going over it over and over again until everyone knew the details by heart. Meanwhile, Meena and Johnny continued their oblivious dance, admiring each other from afar and generally driving anyone in on the plan crazy.

Finally, a couple days later they were ready. Everything was in place, all of the variables had been thought of and everyone knew their role in the plot. Rosita would ask them to meet her in the practice room, Gunter would "accidentally" lock them in the room, and Buster and Eddie would rig the lights and the sound in the practice room so that Ash could see everything from command central. She had set up a command central in the rafters above the room, where she could have the perfect view without Johnny and Meena being able to see her.

She watched eagerly from above as Rosita pulled Meena aside and said something inaudible to her. The gentle elephant smiled and nodded in confirmation before wandering away to help with the final cleanup of the stage. Not even a minute later, Rosita was talking to Johnny about him meeting her in the aforementioned practice room. The gorilla nodded and then walked away to help Meena lift a particularly heavy piece of the set. Ash rolled her eyes as she watched their interactions. Meena was a blushing, stuttering mess, and Johnny was falling all over himself trying to be a gentleman for her.

A few minutes later Johnny walked into the practice room and sat down on the stool in front of the mirrors. Ash watched him spin around on the stool like a child for a little bit before Meena walked into the room. As soon as Meena entered the practice room, Ash signaled Gunter who gave her a double thumbs up before slipping on his noise cancelling headphones and grabbing the keys from the wall hang nearby.

Ash turned the binoculars back towards the practice room and watched as Johnny finally registered Meena's presence and leapt off of the stool mid-spin, stumbling slightly. Ash rolled her eyes as she was forced to watch their awkward dance once more. She handed the binoculars over to Buster who was waiting eagerly next to her.

"I can't watch this crap anymore it's gonna make me barf." she said dramatically and Buster eagerly took them from her, whispering a play-by-play to Eddie who was hanging on his every word like an old woman listening to her soap opera.

Ash sighed and picked up her third StarBuck's coffee of the day, drinking deeply from her precious paper cup. Suddenly Buster gasped and Eddie's grip on his shoulder tightened.

"They're leaving!" he gasped and Ash ripped the binoculars away from him so fast that he got whiplash. She growled when she saw Meena and Johnny picking up their stuff and talking as they walked to the door. She scanned around the practice rooms, searching desperately for Gunter. She found him dancing a few feet away, paying no attention to his actual mission. She almost yelled in frustration, but that would break her cover, so she ground her teeth together instead. She quickly texted Rosita who was still on stage distracting Mrs. Crawly. A few seconds later Rosita rushed in and as soon as she caught sight of Gunter she tossed a couple of candies at him until she got his attention. Ash watched her desperate motions towards the room where Meena and Johnny were preparing to leave. Gunter's eyes widened when he finally understood the dire situation that they were in. He practically dove for the door and jammed the key in the lock, locking the door just as Johnny reached for the door and turned the knob. The knob refused to open and Johnny jiggled it in confusion as Gunter army crawled away from the door over to where Rosita was waiting. Once Gunter was up off the ground, Rosita dragged him out of sight and away from where Johnny or Meena would see them.

Ash almost cackled in delight as she watched Johnny pull at the door and bang on the windows in confusion. Meena was trying her cell phone but the signal inside of the practice rooms was terrible and she couldn't seem to get a call through. Ash settled into her seat and prepared herself for the long haul. _I'm not leaving here until these two admit their feelings for each other._

Two hours later Ash was ready to give up. She was slumped in the chair that she had set up and she was feeling severely caffeine-deprived. She gazed longingly at the empty paper cup that she had been cuddling since she had finished it two hours ago. She tossed it and sat up, picking up the binoculars that she had discarded. She glared at Buster who was snoring loudly from where he was curled up next to a sleeping Eddie whose drool was covering the pillow he was sleeping on. She prayed that they weren't still playing cards like they had been for the past hour. She could only watch those two lovesick idiots play go fish so many times.

She gasped when she actually found them doing something interesting. Meena was leaning on Johnny's shoulder as he talked about something that he Ash couldn't make out. "Now we're getting somewhere." she whispered to herself and adjusted the binoculars so that she was focused on her friends rather than the room around them.

Just when it looked like they were getting somewhere they both sat up and broke into huge grins. Confused, Ash zoomed out and looked around the room, trying to find the source of this sudden change. When she finally found the source she sat there and gaped for what felt like years. Mrs. Crawly had waddled in unnoticed and unlocked the door. Their closed room idea had failed because of one old lizard. She watched in despair as her friends exited the room and went their separate ways, waving as they walked away. After a few minutes of looking at an empty room and wondering how such a perfectly well thought out plan could fail so spectacularly. Finally she threw down the binoculars in frustration, slid down in the chair, and let out a frustrated groan.

"Damn." she whispered to herself and then shrugged and curled up in the chair to fall asleep.

 _There's always another chance tomorrow._


	7. Fatherly Advice

Johnny nervously bounced on the squeaky metal stool and stared at the door on the other side of the bulletproof glass, hoping that big Daddy would appear at any second. It wasn't his usual visiting day so when he had shown up, looking flustered and asking to see his father, the guard had given him and odd look and ushered him to their usual booth. Around him people were chatting with their incarcerated loved ones, oblivious to the whirlwind of emotions that was swirling around inside of him. Finally with a loud blare of the door alarm the door opened on the other side and Big Daddy squeezed through the doorway with his escort. Johnny smiled nervously at his dad as he sat down and the guard wandered off to wait by the door.

Johnny was so eager to pick up the phone he knocked it off the hook and Big Daddy watched him fumble around with the phone for a few seconds before he finally got a good grip on it and brought it up to his face.

"Aw wite spill it son. Wot did ya do?" Big Daddy rumbled out and Johnny immediately began sputtering out excuses in response.

"Nuffin'! I didn't do anythin'! That's the bloody problem." He mumbled the last part and ran a hand through his wild hair in frustration.

"Alwigh' then. Wot didn't ya do?" Big Daddy's face was screwed up in confusion and he leaned forward to force his son to meet his intense gaze. When Johnny didn't say anything and instead began fiddling with the worn cord of the phone it hit him.

"It's abaht a girl ain't it." He smirked and Johnny's head shot up, giving him that incredulous wide-eyed look that he had seen one too many times.

"Wha'…." Johnny gaped up at his dad and then let out a long suffering sigh and slumped down on the grimy counter.

After a few seconds of his father's stare bearing down on him, Johnny lifted his head and morosely looked up at his dad. "Fine. It's abaht a girl. 'Er name is Meena. She's amazing." he said dreamily and rested his head on his arms again.

"Is tha' the elephant wif the nice voice?" Big Daddy asked, a smile spreading slowly across his face when Johnny got a dreamy look that he remembered from his own youth.

"It's not jus' nice dad! She 'as the best bloody voice that I 'ave ever 'eard. It's loike an angel's it's so beautiful." Johnny sat up, defending Meena's voice to his father who just sat there and watched his son with a sense of pride so strong that he chest hurt a little bit. Johnny had come to him about a girl. He and Johnny had never had deep talks and he hadn't given him advice since he was a little kid learning how to skateboard. If he could go back and do his son's teenage years over again he would put the business on hold and parent his son, but he couldn't time travel so in that moment he decided to start, even if it had to be from prison.

"So. Even a blin' monkey could clock that ya loike 'er. What's the chuffin' problem?" Big Daddy asked, and Johnny turned bashful again, drawing invisible patterns on the counter as he worked up the courage to tell his dad what was happening.

"Well I keep tryin' ter say summit ter 'er or ask 'er out ya kna but…" Johnny trailed off and fiddled with the sleeves of his leather jacket and Big Daddy decided that his son needed some encouragement. His own special brand of encouragement.

"Ya chickened aht huh?" he chuckled as Johnny's face went bright red and he gave his dad a playful glare.

"It's not that. It's just every time she looks at me wif those blue eyes and she seems so 'appy ter clock me. Me tongue gets aw tied up and I can't breathe wite." he sighed and ran his hands down his face, scrubbing it slightly in an effort to build up the words to continue, "And…and… I just forget wot I wanted ter ask 'er and I dunna 'a ter talk ter 'er abaht me feelings."

"Sounds ter me loike ya 're in pretty deep me son." he smiled comfortingly despite Johnny's deadpan look at his comment and started to hang up the phone. He chuckled and held up his hands in surrender and gestured for him to pick up the phone again. Johnny reluctantly picked up the phone and impatiently waited for his dad to get on with his point.

"Look Johnny boy, do ya kna 'er favorite flower?" he pressed and Johnny looked at him skeptically before nodding.

"She loves daisies." he mumbled and arched his brow at Big Daddy, the doubt clear as day on his young face.

"Daisies. That's great. Na, do ya trust me?" They sat in silence for a couple seconds, Big Daddy grinning proudly while Johnny looked him up and down skeptically. Finally he let out a little laugh and gave his dad a small but genuine smile.

"Yeah dad. I do." he said softly and Big Daddy's grin softened as well before it widened again and he gave his son a wink.

"Good. So 'ere's wot you're gonna do. First things first ya ask 'er aht. Daan't make it complicated cause then you'll jus' get too nervous again." He leaned forward, his face serious and his voice raised slightly in excitement.

"Wait wait wait. Wot if I'm already nervous? Just thinkin' abaht askin' 'er aht makes me sweaty." Johnny interrupted, a worried look on his face. He clenched his hands as if to emphasize his point and nervously rubbed them against his jeans in an effort to wipe them off. Big Daddy just smiled sympathetically at his son.

"'Ey. Just take a deep breath fer a second. I'm gonna give ya sum advice that worked whenever I got nervous talkin' ter yer mother." He watched Johnny's face light up like a Christmas tree at the mention of his mother and his heart gave a little flutter in his chest.

"Mum? Ya got nervous talkin' ter mum?" Johnny leaned forward; scooting to the edge of the stool as if getting closer to his father would make the story that much better. Big Daddy chuckled and sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck as memory after memory popped up in his head.

"Ohh yeah. Loads of times. Wanna kna me secret?" he grinned and leaned in to the glass to create the illusion that they were going to share some secret when in reality all of their conversations were recorded.

"Yeah! Yeah o' course I do." The eager smile on his face once again sent a pang through Big Daddy's chest as he was reminded of simpler times.

"Listen close boy." He leaned forward and whispered into the phone receiver. "Ya take a deep breath and ya focus on 'er eyes. Girls loike is when ya look them in the eyes. Focus on them eyes and just let yer heart do the talkin'. Shut down that brain of yers," he pointed at the glass where Johnny's head was and he had never felt a stronger urge to break through that glass and ruffle his son's hair. He cursed himself once more for the decisions that he had made. Because of his criminal tendencies here he was behind bars and he could barely help his son with girl advice.

"Okay dad." he said eagerly and seemed to take a deep breath in that moment, trying out the technique to calm his thoughts.

"Very nice boy. Na when she accepts, cause she will," he gave Johnny a look when he looked ready to interrupt him with his doubts, "Ya pick 'er sum daisies and ya brin' them ter 'er when ya pick 'er up. Trust me she'll light up when ya brin' 'er flowers."

"But dad… wot if she says nah?" Johnny asked and Big Daddy was amazed at the vulnerability coming off of him in waves. It was like a dark cloud had moved in over his son's head and it was his mission to banish it.

"Na clock 'ere na boy." He waited until Johnny looked up at him, his eyes full of doubt and a small frown on his face. "That girl would be crazy ter reject ya, and she ain't crazy is she?"

"Nah…" Johnny said slowly, unsure where his father was going with this.

"Then stop worryin' and start plannin'. I kna that you've got confidence in there. Let it shine through and you'll be fine." He said firmly but kindly. Johnny perked up slightly and looked up at his father with a new confidence shining in his brown eyes.

"Thanks dad." He said softly and Big Daddy grinned down at him, feeling accomplished as a father for the first time since he watched his son ride down the street on his skateboard in his helmet, shoulder pads and knee pads.

"Anytime son. Nah let's talk plannin'. Ya need ter kna wot you're gonna do for the date before ya even do it." Johnny nodded and the two gorillas got down to work hashing out ideas for the future date.

An hour later as Johnny rose from the stool and began walking away from the booth, Big Daddy stood there and watched his son turn around at the door and wave as he disappeared into the outside world. As he walked through the hallways of the prison with guard as an escort he marveled over the fact that his son was growing up. Johnny had always been the gangly teen with wild hair in his mind but today, today he saw an adult gorilla walking out those doors. He had missed so much of Johnny's life; his love for singing, his first performance, the great loves in his life. When Johnny had started pulling away from him he had tried to bring him back by bringing him into the gang, but Johnny had just continued to pull away from him, this time even stronger than before.

As he walked back into his shared cell and saw his cellmates engaged in a game of poker he sat down in the chair that he had vacated and waited to be dealt into the next hand. As he picked up his cards he realized that his life was starting to turn around. Sure he was incarcerated and he had no idea when he would get out and be able to hug his son once again, meet the girl that Johnny was obviously in love with, but his relationship with his son was stronger than it had ever been before and that was the important thing.

He looked down at his cards and let his face curl into a self-satisfied smirk. Yeah his cards looked pretty good from here on out.

"Alwigh' ya blighters I'm feelin' lucky." He looked around at the suddenly nervous faces of his cellmates. "Whose ready ter get beat?"


	8. Oblivious

"Who's that guy talking to Meena?" Eddie asked Ash who was busily sifting through the messy pile of her sheet music. She had packed it up in such a hurry that morning that when she had shoved them in her bag the music sheets had gotten mixed up in each other. At Eddie's question she looked up from the pile before her and examined her friend with a critical eye. Meena was checking the rigging and examining the tech panel while a muscle bound moose strutted around after her.

"Oh that's the goon Moon hired to help with back stage work. Meena was training him until you got back from lunch. That dumb idiot has been trying to get her attention all day." She smirked and chuckled to herself as she watched the moose trying to flex as Meena directed him to test the stage lights one by one.

"That's hilarious." Eddie snorted and started to slowly move closer, straining to hear what the moose was saying to their Meena. Ash looked down at the mess that would probably take forever to sort through and then over to where Eddie was casually leaning against the wall looking at his phone. It was an easy decision to abandon her mess and hurry over to join Eddie. The closer she got the easier it was for her to hear the brute trying to hit on Meena.

She snickered at his pitiful efforts and she and Eddie exchanged an amused look, "This is even better than I imagined." she snorted in an effort to hold back her laughter when the moose turned on the wrong lights because he was too distracted flexing for Meena while she checked off tasks on the clipboard. Meena gave him a slightly annoyed look before showing him where the right light switch was and went back to ignoring him.

"So how do you feel about raisins?" he suddenly asked, and Ash gave Eddie a questioning look but the sheep just shrugged and they turned back to watching the unfortunate interaction.

"Um… I guess they're pretty good." Meena gave the moose an odd look and turned back to her checklist, visibly confused.

"Then how do you feel about a date?" he asked and gave her what was supposed to be a suave grin but just turned out to be creepy. Meena seemed to actually contemplate the question before looking at him innocently and giving him a tentative smile.

"I prefer raisins to be perfectly honest. They're easier to bake with." With that she wandered back over to the rigging and checked all of the ropes, checking each one off of her checklist as she went.

Ash was laughing so hard that no noise was coming out of her mouth and she was using Eddie to prop herself up. Eddie's whole body was shaking with the effort to keep his laughter inside but despite his efforts a few snorts escaped. These noises only made Ash laugh harder as she slumped down to the ground and held her aching stomach.

"Oh my god she's so oblivious." Ash wheezed out as she desperately gasped for air, "She is the most oblivious person on the face of the planet." She finally took a deep breath and calmed down slightly just in time to catch the shocked expression on the moose's face. It sent her into another fit of giggles that finally seemed to attract some attention.

Gunter bounced up to them and plopped down on the ground next to Ash, his usual dopey grin plastered to his face. "Vat is habening here? Vat is zo funny?"

"Oh Gunter. My man Gunter. This dolt is trying to flirt with Meena. It's comedy gold." Ash grinned eagerly and wrapped her arm around his shoulders and pointed over towards where the tenacious moose was checking himself out in the reflective surface of a light. Gunter grinned eagerly and settled down on his stomach to watch the spectacle before him.

Satisfied with his appearance and having regained his confidence, the moose turned around for another try, cornering Meena near the large control panel that controlled the lights, sound equipment, and everything else on stage.

"If you were a chicken, you'd be impeccable." He grinned and flexed his arms slightly. Meena frowned uncomfortably and shuffled backwards and away from her companion.

"Um, that's nice, but I'm an elephant." She mumbled and hurried away towards the scenery pieces that needed to be stored in the nearby storage closet. Ash was practically rolling on the ground and this point and Eddie was desperately hiding his face in his jacket in an effort to conceal his uncontrollable laughter. Gunter was laughing uncontrollably and holding his jiggling belly.

The moose looked confused for a second and seemed to go over his lines in his head before following her, flexing his muscles with every step. As he strutted over to Meena, Mike strutted over to where the three of them were gathered, still chuckling over the latest flirtation attempt.

He stopped and sneered at the lot of them, twirling his stylish little cane as he walked. "What the hell are you bozos laughing at?" he asked and waited impatiently for them to calm down enough to answer him.

"The new guy is trying to flirt with Meena." Eddie finally got out between chuckles and Mike immediately frowned. He had become very protective of Meena since their first show and at the idea of anyone hitting on Meena he was immediately tense and ready for a fight.

"Alright who is he? I'll teach him to mess with Meena that's for sure." He raised his tiny fists and looked around for his opponent. Ash rolled her eyes at his theatrics and sat up from where she had been slumped on the ground, her stomach aching with laughter.

"Relax 'Tough Guy'. Meena doesn't even know that he's flirting with her. It's hilarious." She pointed to where the moose was making a fool of himself once more by trying to lift multiple set pieces at once. Meena was watching him worriedly, lugging her own set piece. There was a great clatter as the moose dropped one of the set pieces on the ground. Meena mustered up as much of a glare as she could, which resulted in her looking slightly perturbed. The new guy brushed off her annoyance with a charming grin and tried to pick up the set piece once more. Despite Meena's protests he picked it up once more and this time he made it to the storage closet.

"Give it a minute I just know that he's gonna try again." Ash said excitedly, suddenly wishing that she had a bowl of popcorn to enjoy while she watched the poor idiot struggle to win Meena's affections.

Mike rolled his eyes but settled down somewhere where he could see the spectacle that was about to unfold before them. Eddie bounced in anticipation as the moose slicked back his hair and headed over to where Meena was struggling with a particularly heavy set piece.

"Well, here I am. What are your other two wishes?" he said smoothly and struck a cheesy pose in front of Meena who just stared at him in confusion for a few seconds before shaking her head and gesturing towards the set piece that she had been struggling with while he had been checking himself out.

"I wish you would help me with this set piece, and then I wish you would move the rest of those pieces into storage." She said politely and then looked at him pointedly until he bemusedly walked over to the other side of the set piece and lifted it up. They moved it into the storage closet and then she directed him to which pieces needed to be moved into there as well while she lowered the lights down to the stage and began checking the bulbs and the rigging.

Meanwhile her friends were dying of laughter off to the side. Mike had fallen on his back and was having difficulty getting back up because of the force of his laughter. Ash was laughing so hard that the force of it had made some of her quills shoot out into the floor of the stage. Eddie's head was fully buried in his read jacket where his muffled hysterics could be heard through the fabric. Even Gunter was rolling so much that he nearly rolled right off the stage before Ash grabbed his shiny gold jumpsuit and heaved him back away from the edge.

"How can she possibly be so oblivious?" Mike asked as he finally got his laughter under control and struggled back into an upright position.

"How can that idiot moose still think that he has a chance with her? She's rejected him three times already!" Eddie peeked out from his jacket to throw in his two cents, his grin so wide that it could barely contain the snickers that snuck out of his mouth.

"Ve must get Rozita. She vill enchoy zis as vell!" Gunter scrambled up onto his feet and dashed off the stage before anyone could stop him.

"Oh great." Ash groaned, her good mood suddenly stifled. "Whelp the party is over now." She stood up and shoved her hands in her pockets.

"What? Why?" Eddie frowned at her sudden mood change and pulled his head out of his jacket. Even Mike quieted down and stared at her, his grin slowly dying.

"Because Rosita is gonna get all protective and ruin the fun." Ash groaned and slumped against the wall, watching Meena tend to the lights with a bored expression on her face. As if on cue Gunter appeared, dragging Rosita along behind him. He was babbling so quickly that he was practically incoherent with his heavy accent.

"Gunter wait-Woah!" Rosita exclaimed as she plopped down next to Gunter on the stage floor and looked around at everyone gathered around her.

"What's going on?" She asked and everyone just turned to look at Ash who was for lack of a better word pouting against the wall. She looked away from where Meena was fussing with the lights and rolled her eyes when she found everyone looking at her for an explanation.

"Some muscle bound idiot is hitting on Meena and she's oblivious to all of it. It's pretty funny." She smiled a little bit at the thought of anyone flirting with Meena. To her utter shock Rosita's face lit up with an eager smile and she looked around eagerly.

"Really? I've got to see this. Where are they?" Ash pointed to where Meena was standing checking off the last light as the aforementioned moose approached her from behind, his cocky strut undiminished by her previous rejections.

"Oh my gosh it's starting again." Ash said eagerly, forgetting her shock at Rosita's positive response to their little experiment. She eagerly pointed to where Meena was standing, unsuspecting of what was about to happen to her.

They all leaned forward in anticipation as the moose swooped in for his final attempt. He grabbed Meena by the shoulder and spun her around making her drop her clipboard and pull her ears in closer to her head.

She recoiled from him in surprise and frowned when she heard the distinct sounds of snickers coming from somewhere near her. She ignored the noise as her companion forced his way in close to her face, startling her.

"If I could rearrange the alphabet I'd put 'I' and 'U' together." Meena blinked in surprise, staring at him as he made an odd face that she didn't recognize.

"Uhhh…" she looked at him blankly and tried to back up but ran into the light fixtures. This odd moose had her trapped and was making her distinctly uncomfortable. He had been speaking nonsense all day and she had no idea how to respond to it.

Thankfully she heard familiar footsteps approaching from behind and she felt her whole body relax as a familiar hand slid onto her back to rest gently on her lower back. She was saved. Relief flowed through her body in a rush as she turned to greet her boyfriend with a blinding smile.

Johnny smiled back at her and leaned in to gently kiss her cheek, her ears opening up in happiness at his greeting.

"Wotcha love. Abaht ready ter go? Ya kna 'a your mum gets if we're late fer supper." Johnny asked, completely ignoring the strange moose that had cornered Meena when he arrived.

"Just about Johnny," She said, blushing slightly, "I'm just finishing up here with…I'm sorry what was your name again?"

Suddenly the attention was turned back to the stricken moose that was standing in front of them, his face frozen in surprise. "B-Brock." he finally stuttered out and held out his hand to which was quickly enveloped in Johnny's firm grip.

"Nice ter meetcha Brock." Johnny said, sounding friendly enough, but his brown eyes were hard and his smile was forced, not that Meena noticed. "Can ya finish up so I can get me girl 'ere home in time fer dinner?"

Brock nodded dumbly and Johnny flashed him his teeth in a bright smile. "Thanks mate." With that he led Meena away, his hand still resting on her lower back, and her sweet smile still focused on him. Once they were out of sight Brock slowly picked up the clipboard and slowly finished up what little Meena had left for him to complete.

Ash turned to the others as they exchanged triumphant looks and a few chuckles. Gunter and Eddie were mid high five when Buster's voice rang out behind them, making everyone jump.

"What exactly do you guys think you're doing?" They all turned around sheepishly, looking down at the imposing figure of Buster Moon as he stood there with a frown on his face and his hands on his hips.

"Uh… I think I hear someone calling for me…" Ash said and quickly disappeared, everyone else following her lead except for poor Eddie who didn't quite make it in time. Buster grabbed him by the sleeve of his jacket and started pulling Eddie's reluctant form up to his office.

"I think an explanation is in order." He called out and Eddie groaned in despair, looking around for someone, anyone to save him, but they had all scattered as soon as Buster appeared.

Brock was just finishing up the last of the lighting work when he suddenly found his path blocked by a smirking ash, her arms crossed over her chest.

"You never had a chance buddy."


	9. Snapshots

"I'm glad ya 're finally home dad. I missed ya." Johnny hugged his father for what must have been the billionth time since he had picked him up from the prison that morning. When he had arrived back home at the garage he had been surprised to find that all of his friends and his father's friends had put together a surprise barbeque complete with delicious food, decorations, and even a few games. The one thing that didn't surprise him was that his girlfriend, Meena, had been at the center of it all. When they had walked in and turned on the lights there had been his surrogate family yelling surprise with huge grins plastered on their faces. Standing in the middle of the room with the biggest, brightest smile of them all had been Meena, dressed in her beautiful purple dress. In her arms she had cradled on of her homemade cakes. It had been meticulously decorated with dark blue icing that had been artfully used to write out a message in beautiful cursive. It read: _Welcome Home Big Daddy._ When Meena presented it to Big Daddy, he had immediately gotten choked up and accepted the cake with shaky hands.

"Thank ya lil' lydy." his smile had grown that much more when he came home to a home filled with happiness and light he wrapped an arm around his Johnny's shoulders and addressed all of the guests.

"Let's get this party started!" Everyone cheered and music filled the room through the speakers of Johnny's sound system. Big Daddy walked over to the table of food to drop off the cake and Johnny wrapped his arm around Meena's waist and grabbed her hand with his other. He spun her around happily and she laughed joyfully, the sound making his heart skip a beat in his chest. He pulled her close and she rested her head against his chest, happiness radiating off of both of them in waves.

"Thank ya." He whispered in her ear, kissing her forehead. Meena squeezed him in her embrace briefly before pulling back enough to look up at him.

"Of course." She said and gave him that sweet smile that made him fall for her all over again every time he saw it. He leaned down and gave her a soft, chaste kiss. Slowly he pulled his lips away from her and released her from his embrace.

"Hey Johnny Boy! Stop sucking face and come help me get this grill started!" Ash called through the open garage door, a teasing smirk on her face. Johnny and Meena laughed and Meena turned a little pink in embarrassment.

"Comin' Ash!" He called back to their friend and looked down apologetically at Meena, "Well duty calls. I'll find ya later. Go mingle." He winked and bestowed one more kiss on her lips before walking over to where Ash was starting up the grill.

Meena watched him go with a smile on her face and then wandered over to the food table to check on all of the dishes that she had meticulously laid out. She was just grabbing a glass of punch when a large hand landed on her shoulder, startling her. She fumbled with her punch glass, only spilling a little bit on the ground and the food table before turning around to greet whoever had startled her. She was met with Big Daddy and his sheepish grin.

"Sorry abaht that. Didn't mean ter scare ya Meena." he offered up a napkin and she gratefully took it to wipe up the drops that had spilled onto the table.

"Don't worry about it sir." she smiled a little shyly up at him as she tossed away the soaking napkin.

"Ah, come on na. Call me Big Daddy. 'Sir' makes me feel loike an old man." he chuckled and gestured for Meena to follow him over to the living room where he plopped down onto the couch with a heavy sigh. Meena followed his example and sat down next to him, taking a sip of her drink.

"I assume tha' I 'ave ya ter thank for the bloomin' party, and for me son's 'appiness." his usual grin softened into a genuinely thankful smile and Meena felt herself turning red with embarrassment.

"Oh no I can't take full credit for that…" she mumbled, and nervously kept her eyes down on her drink but Big Daddy was just like his son in that he refused to let Meena be humble. He put a comforting hand on her shoulder and squeezed gently.

"I ain't blind, I can clock that you're pretty much 'is world." Big Daddy chuckled as he leaned over the side of the couch to retrieve a large photo album from the side table. He held it close to his chest and looked down at the worn cover fondly.

"And 'cause yer so special ter 'im I got summit ter sha ya." he said and turned the album around to show her the cover, where Johnny's name had been scrawled in elegant cursive. Meena reached out and ran her hand over the cover and then smiled up at Big Daddy as he opened it up to a particular page. Meena leaned over and her grin widened when she saw an old picture of Johnny standing next to a broken skateboard, grinning proudly, with three of his baby teeth held out in one hand.

"Awww." The picture immediately mesmerized Meena and Big Daddy chuckled.

"Oh yeah! 'E was a little blighter when 'e was lil'. I dunna 'a many skateboards and teeth we went through before 'e finally got the bloomin' 'ang of it." They laughed together and Big Daddy turned the page to reveal a picture of baby Johnny on his back chewing on his feet.

Meena cooed over the new picture as it was revealed ad leaned forward as if getting closer to it would make it cuter. Big Daddy laughed over her reaction and out of the corner of his eye he saw Johnny approaching them with a suspicious look on his face. Big Daddy grinned and decided that it was time for some parental embarrassment.

"When Johnny was a lil' tike 'e refused ter stay in 'is crib at night." He started the story, Meena listening intently, as Johnny increase his pace towards them, "So I decided ter install a baby gate in 'is room. Wahn night 'round the bloody time that 'e usually broke aht of 'is crib and climbed in bed wif us, I woke up ter a loud bang in the chuffin' 'all."

Johnny's eyes narrowed suspiciously as he neared them and heard pieces of the story but he was unprepared for the level of embarrassment that he was about to experience. "So I ran aht there wif me pistol thinkin' that a burglar broke in…" He watched Johnny's eyes widen in horror but he just continued with the story.

"And there 'e was on the bleedin' floor, lookin' up at me wif those big brahn eyes. The bloomin' lil' bugger vaulted 'imself over 'is baby gate just ter get in bed wif us." Meena burst into laughter at the idea of baby Johnny jumping his baby gate. Johnny quickly sat down on the other side of his father, his cheeks bright red with embarrassment.

"Dad, wot do ya fin' ya 're doin'?" he hissed out over Meena's giggles but Big Daddy had no sympathy for him as he turned to the next page which had a photo of a naked baby Johnny laying in a mud puddle mid-splash and completely filthy. Meena snorted and brought both of her hands up to cover her mouth in an effort to hold back her laughter. Johnny shrunk down in his seat on the couch, hoping with every piece of his being that he could disappear.

Finally, Meena couldn't hold back any longer and she let her laughter burst through from behind her hands and wiped at the tears that were streaming down her face. Johnny groaned and glared at his dad but Big Daddy just winked at him and turned the page once more.

Johnny felt his heart stop in horror when he got a glimpse of the picture that was next. He leapt forward and reached for the book, desperately trying to keep his girlfriend from seeing the horrifying memory that had been recorded in the photo book. His struggle was useless as his father trapped him under his arm and used his other arm to lean the book towards Meena.

Johnny watched in absolute horror as her eyes widened comically and she began to laugh uncontrollably, holding her aching stomach muscles and leaning back into the couch. "That's ha ha ha adorable!" she choked out between bouts of laughter.

Johnny groaned in despair and buried his head in the fabric of his father's wife-beater tank top, unable to look Meena in the eye at this moment, maybe not ever again. His father's form was shaking with laughter as he looked down at the picture as well.

After a few minutes of unfettered laughter Johnny was fed up with being embarrassed and slid out of his father's grip, stomped over to Meena and grabbed her hand, insistently pulling her up off of the couch. Meena was still giggling as she got up and let Johnny lead her away from his father and towards the grill where the food was finally ready.

She waved at Big Daddy as she followed Johnny outside, "Thanks for the pictures and the story Big Daddy!" she called out before turning around and trying to soothe Johnny's embarrassment. Big Daddy watched as eventually Meena got him to smile and laugh again. He felt his heart swell in his chest when Johnny wrapped his arms around Meena and gave her a chaste kiss on the lips and then served her some food.

He looked down at the picture in the book and smiled. It was a picture of Johnny at around five wearing oversized heels, a dress that was way too big on him, a big floppy hat and copious amounts of makeup smeared all over his face. He was grinning widely at the camera and striking a proud little pose. Big Daddy looked up at Johnny now and marveled at how much he had grown and how happy he was with him home and with Meena at his side.

He hurried over to one of the various boxes that were lying around the garage and ruffled through it until he came across the thing that he was looking for. He pulled out the old black polaroid camera and wiped the dust off of it. He powered it on and stealthily snuck over to where Meena and Johnny were sitting on a bench and eating together. He waited for the perfect moment as they joked around and held hands.

He got his chance when Meena picked up a hot dog and tried to feed it to Johnny but instead of aiming for his mouth she smeared it all over his face until he was splattered in mustard and ketchup. Johnny stared at her in surprise for a few seconds before breaking into a grin and returning the favor by rubbing the sauce off of his face and onto Meena's. They messed around for a few more minutes until both of their faces were splattered in sauce. Johnny chose that moment to capture her laughing lips with is own, their eyes closing in contentment.

Big Daddy quickly snapped the photo before they could stop him and then hurried away. The camera spit out the photo and once it was developed he grabbed some tape and put it into a fresh page in the photo album.

He stared at it for a few moments, savoring the proud feeling that bloomed in his chest at the sight of his son's happiness and his future. Slowly he closed the book and set it lovingly on the table before turning around and heading over to where everyone was getting food.

"C'mere you two!" he yelled and enveloped his son and Meena into a big hug.


	10. Christmas Hijinks

"Meena you're torturing me with these cookies here, pleeeeease let me have one." Ash whined and hovered around her friend as she pulled the last tray of sugar cookies from the oven.

It was Christmas Eve and Ash had come over earlier in the day to help Meena finish up the cookies that she had made for their theatre Christmas party that very night. Ever since she arrived Ash had been sitting on the counter driving Meena insane, pestering her to surrender a cookie, but Meena had just smiled at her and kept all of the baked goods out of her reach. Meena put the container that was filled with other types of cookies down on the counter and quickly filled it with the fresh baked ones on her tray. When she finished she put the lid on the container and stacked it on top of the other fully stocked container. She then pulled a smaller, special container, full of peanut butter cookies topped with a chocolate kisses, from the warming drawer and placed it into her bag with the other containers.

Meena sighed in relief and wiped the sweat off of her brow. Ash took a moment away from her pursuit of the cookies and looked Meena over.

"Okay girl give me that grandma apron and go grab a shower. Remember to change into something nice we agreed that you were gonna dress up tonight." She gave Meena a pointed look when she stared longingly down at her ugly Christmas sweater that was covered in flour.

"Fine, but only if you stay away from the cookies. You have to wait until the party." Ash opened her mouth to protest but Meena was already putting the cookies on top of the fridge and heading off towards her room to get ready.

"If she thinks height can stop me she's got another thing coming." Ash mumbled and patiently perched herself on one of the kitchen chairs that was much too big for her. Once she heard the faint noises of a shower running she decided to make her move.

She jumped down off of the chair and used all of her strength to push it across the tile towards the fridge. She pushed the back of the chair against the fridge and climbed up onto it once more. The chair had only gotten her half of the way there so she grabbed a couple of the thick cookbooks that were stacked on the kitchen counter and stacked them on the chair instead. She took a deep breath and for the first time wondered if the cookies were really worth all of the trouble that she was going to, but she quickly remembered last Christmas when Meena had brought the very same cookies and each bite had tasted like a little bit of heaven. Within seconds her determination returned, this time stronger than before. She climbed up the rickety stack of books and reached desperately for the container. Her fingertips grazed it and for a few sweet seconds she could almost taste victory, but it was pulled out of her grasp when the container slid farther away on the fridge rather than into her arms.

Ash held back a scream of frustration and took a couple deep breaths to calm herself down. When she no longer felt like she was going to explode into a million pieces at a moment's notice she cautiously stood on her tip toes and balanced on one foot, reaching for the cookies with all of her might. Just when her hand finally gripped the lid and she started to pull it closer Meena appeared in the doorway, smoothing out her dress.

"Ok Ash does this look- Ash!" She gasped and Ash winced and froze, her hand grasping the cookie container and her guilt written all over her face.

Meena put her hands on her hips and glared as best she could at her friend who gave her a sheepish smile and grudgingly released the container.

Meena shook her head at Ash's antics and did a slow twirl. "What do you think?" She asked hopefully. Ash admired how the dress fit on here. The top was tight black, long sleeve material that looked soft to the tough. The dress winched at her waist and then flowed out in a white skirt that had a red and green plaid pattern. She was wearing her white flats on her feet and a sprig of holly was tucked behind her ear.

"Nice. Very nice." She wolf-whistled and Meena glared at her, her cheeks immediately flushing with embarrassment.

"Are you going to change into something festive?" Meena asked eagerly and Ash's face immediately screwed up in confusion.

"What do you mean? I got all Christmas-y already." She gestured to her outfit and Meena just gave her an unimpressed look.

"Ash. All you did was change into green leggings." She deadpanned and Ash rolled her eyes.

"Yeah. Festive. See?" She gestured to the forest green leggings and Meena just rolled her eyes in exasperation. Suddenly her face lit up with excitement and she dashed away to her room, calling out over her shoulder as she did.

"I have just the thing! I'll be right back!" With that she disappeared into her room. Ash looked longingly up at the cookie container and considered going for it again before deciding against it. She felt her tower of cookbooks getting increasingly unstable with each passing moment. She hopped down onto the chair and began putting the books back where they belong. Once everything was put away she shoved the chair back into place and whipped out her phone while she waited for Meena.

She was in the middle of scrolling through social media when a blur of colorful light was wrapped around her neck. Meena had reappeared and had place a Christmas tree light bulb necklace around her neck.

Ash stared down at it in horror for a few seconds before turning her stricken face up to her giggling friend.

"If I wear the dress…. you wear the necklace." Ash opened her mouth to protest but by then Meena had turned around and reached up to grasp the cookie bag and the containers. As they walked out, Ash glared darkly down at her necklace and crossed her arms over her chest.

Meena paid her no attention, which only made her frustration grow and fester inside of her. They slipped into their heavy snow jackets and braved the cold weather to get to the bus stop. When the bus arrived to pick them up Ash took a seat next to the window and pouted as she watched the town go by. Meena sat next to her, happily humming Christmas carols to herself and checking her phone. When Ash glanced over at her friend her face was bright red and she was giggling at something on her phone. Ash leaned over and looked at the screen and was unsurprised to find her texting Johnny.

"Ugh stop flirting with him and just tell him how you feel already." She reached for the phone but Meena quickly moved it out of her reach.

"I-I dunno what you're talking about." Meena stuttered out and typed out a quick reply before shoving her phone back into her pocket.

"Oh please." Ash rolled her eyes and slumped down in her seat. "You're so obvious."

"You're so obvious." Meena mumbled back in a pathetic attempt at a comeback. Ash didn't reply because she was too focused on sneaking her hand into Meena's bag to get to the cookies. She was about to open the container and sneak a gingerbread cookie when Meena grabbed her hand to stop her.

"Ash! No cookies yet!" she scolded her and picked up the bag, moving it away from her with a pointed glare. Ash pouted, trying to make Meena give in with her puppy eyes. Meena seemed to falter for a second, but a buzzing noise in her pocket distracted her and she forgot about Ash the moment she saw that the text was from Johnny. Ash growled impatiently when her pouty face didn't work and instead decided that her friends would need to be 'punished'. Meena for her refusal to share the cookies early and Johnny for distracting Meena and saving her from Ash's pleading look. She would have her revenge and she knew just how to do it.

When the bus finally arrived across the street from the theatre with a screech of old brakes Ash eagerly hoped off and impatiently ushered Meena into the theatre. Meena slowed down to appreciate the stellar decorations that were brightening the lobby. There were soft golden lights, wreaths, tinsel, and a lone sprig of mistletoe that waited patiently for its next victims. Meena gasped loudly, her eyes sparkling with joy and an abundance of Christmas spirit. Christmas had always been her favorite holiday. In her experience it was a time for family, good food, warmth and light and even if she didn't get presents she was always unbelievably happy. When she was finished looking at all of the decorations she hurried to follow Ash to the backstage area where the rest of their theatre family was waiting.

When the entered the small room that was Moon's office they were amazed at the tremendous change that it had gone through. All of the papers had been cleared from every available space, there was a roaring fire in the rarely used fireplace, and the room had been decorated just like the lobby. It was perfect. They were immediately bombarded with hugs and greetings from everyone in the room. Rosita was the first to dash over and envelope both of them in her motherly embrace.

Meena longingly admired her lime green sweater with a red turtleneck and a snowflake design on the chest. She was suddenly longing intensely for her own ugly sweater instead of the dress she had donned, but it was too late. For the time being she self-consciously kept her winter jacket on and accepted Rosita's hug when it was offered. Ms. Crawley was the next to find her way over to them in her red and green plaid ensemble, complete with a poinsettia pin. She offered them mugs of hot chocolate and the two girls cautiously peered inside the cups to make sure that none of their marshmallows had been replaced with her elusive glass eye. Once they had determined that it was safe to consume they gratefully took a sip. The hot liquid immediately went to work warming up their cold bodies and relaxing them. Ash was mid-sip when Buster came up to greet them.

Ash nearly dropped her mug when she saw that he had changed into a red version of his suit with a little green bowtie. It was kinda freaky to see him in anything other than his signature suit and her emotions must have shown on her face because Buster's face quickly switched from his greeting smile to a look of confusion.

"Is something wrong Ash?" he asked, but Ash just brushed off his concern and quickly took another sip of her hot cocoa. Fleetingly she wished that she could spike it with something but she was pretty sure that she had left her alcohol stash in her apartment. Cursing herself for not anticipating the need for booze, she gulped down her hot chocolate just in time for Gunter to run past clad in a gold sweat suit covered in candy canes. Appropriately his arms were full of candy canes that he was handing out to everyone. Ash happily accepted one to suck on until she could get her hands on Meena's cookies. Meena, not being a huge fan of peppermint, politely declined the proffered sweet treat.

Ash watched as she seemed to search around the room for the most important person that had yet to greet them. Mike was dancing by the radio with his girlfriend and obviously had no intentions of coming over to greet them but Johnny was nowhere to be seen. Meena sighed a little despondently and set the bag of cookies on the table as she shed her winter layers. She was hanging up her jacket on the coat rack with she felt a familiar presence behind her. Sure enough, when she turned around she found herself face to face with Johnny who was covered in a light dusting of snow but looked happy nonetheless. He was wearing his signature leather jacket, jeans, and converse but had switched his lightning shirt out for a red and white striped one. He was giving her that excited little grin that made his eyes look bigger and even more eager, not to mention sent her into a nervous tizzy.

"H-hello Johnny. Y-you look nice." She murmured, barely audible over the classic Christmas tunes that were flowing out of the radio speakers.

In that moment, Johnny finally looked away from her eyes and took in her outfit. His gaze widened impossibly and his mouth gaped a little as he slowly looked back up at her face. He seemed to shake himself out of his stupor and quickly complimented her back.

"Meena…ya look amazin'." He grinned and Meena's heart did a little flip in her chest.

"Th-thank you." She looked down, unable to look him in the eyes without making her cheeks even redder than they already were. As if remembering something important she perked up and reached into the cookie bag, withdrawing the container filled with perfect little peanut butter and chocolate kiss cookies, "I made these for you." She shakily handed the box over to Johnny who just admired it for a few seconds before excitedly opening it up and withdrawing a perfect cookie. He devoured it like it was the last cookie that he would ever eat. He moaned in appreciation as the flavors hit his taste buds and gave Meena a wink for good measure. She immediately giggled bashfully and busied herself setting up her cookie plate to go on the table while Johnny chatted her up and munched on his special cookies.

Ash had stopped paying attention to their interaction as soon as Johnny walked into the room but when she heard the container opening and smelled Johnny's cookies a jealous fire flared up inside of her. How dare Meena give him cookies first? Ash had been waiting all year for these cookies. With that small action Meena and Johnny sealed their fates and Ash smiled deviously as she disappeared into the hallway. She stealthily hurried to the lobby where she grabbed a step stool from behind the counter and removed the sprig of mistletoe from where it was hanging. Cradling the precious plant in her hands she snuck back to Moon's office where everyone was chatting or dancing, unsuspecting of what was about to happen.

Like a pointy ninja Ash hung the mistletoe over one of the main windows that looked over the street. Once the devious little plant was secure she began phase two of her plan: get Meena and Johnny under the plant. Luckily for Ash this phase was made easier by the sudden appearance of thick flakes of snow from the clouds above. The small flakes quickly blanketed the street and the surrounding buildings. Once she was sure that the snow would not be letting up anytime soon, she moved over to the radio where an upbeat Christmas song was playing. She waited until it was over before quickly changing it to a station that she knew for a fact played the soft, slow Christmas songs. _Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas_ immediately poured out of the speakers and the mood of the room changed immediately. Suddenly the firelight was warm and intimate, and the decorations shone the most perfect romantic light.

Ash strategically placed herself in between the window and her friends, waiting until the others were distracted she made her announcement, "Look everyone! It's snowing." These simple words sent everyone running towards the windows and Ash strategically ushered her friends to the mistletoe window. Their little family took a few minutes to watch the delicate flakes dance through the air as they descended to the ground before beginning to move away from the window and back to the party. Ash almost cackled with glee when she saw that Johnny had placed his hand over Meena's on accident, but had yet to remove it.

Once again the universe was working with her on this plan and Rosita was the one to notice that the two young adults were standing under the mistletoe. "Awww look who's caught under the mistletoe she called out and pointed to where Johnny and Meena had frozen, each looking at the other with deep mortification etched in their faces. Slowly, as if looking into the eyes of death itself, they looked up at the innocent little plant taped to the top of the windowsill.

"You guys know the rules. You gotta kiss." Ash piped up when neither of them moved to fulfill the tradition that they found themselves at the mercy of. They simultaneously turned to glare at her but she just shrugged innocently and smiled at them.

Johnny took a deep breath and then released it in an audible whoosh. He seemed to take stock of his surroundings: the winter wonderland blooming outside, the lively fire in the fireplace, the atmosphere of the cozy little room that they were in. Once he had surveyed his surroundings he made his decision and reached a hand up to cup Meena's cheek. She jumped at the surprising contact, but that didn't stop her from leaning into his touch. Slowly, carefully, Johnny leaned forward until he was mere inches away from Meena's parted lips.

"Johnny you don't have to-" he put a finger to her lips and leaned forwards once more so that only Meena could hear his words.

"Happy Christmas Meena." he whispered and just like that pulled her into an all-encompassing kiss that wiped her mind of everything else except for the feel of her his lips on hers. They stood there, their kiss chaste until Meena brought her arms up around Johnny's neck, encouraging him to deepen the kiss. Satisfied with the distraction, Ash snuck away from her friends and snatched up the plate of cookies for herself. Holding the plate close to her, as if it was a child, she ambled back over to where her friends were reluctantly pulling away from their kiss. Meena seemed to only see Johnny as she leaned in and whispered her reply into Johnny's ear.

"Merry Christmas Johnny." She said and then yelped in surprise when Johnny let out a joyful laugh and spun her around quickly. They quickly dove into another kiss as their audience disappeared and soon Ash was the only one watching their impromptu make out session. That way she was the only one that heard Meena's words. She smirked, shoved another two cookies in her mouth and let out a satisfied groan.

"Merry Christmas Ash." She mumbled to herself and walked away with her cookie plate in hand. It seems that this Christmas was thanks to the powers of mistletoe and the kiss that it brings.


	11. Bare

'It was an accident this time… right? _'_ Meena asked herself as she sat on Johnny's couch and looked down at her hands. She was waiting for Johnny to come back from his room to start their pajama movie night. She had arrived early as usual but everything that normally happened had gone out the window as soon as she knocked on the door. She had been fussing with her pajama top when he opened the door so she hadn't immediately noticed the big change.

She usually just wore her favorite worn sweatshirt and pajama bottoms but they had been dirty when she went looking for them so her mother had made her wear a dark blue pajama set that was covered in little stars. It felt so foreign on her that she was constantly adjusting it and making sure that it was fitting her just right. She looked up from fixing one of the buttons and her heart immediately jumped into her chest.

Johnny was standing in front of her, holding the door open with a smile… and he was completely shirtless. Meena's eyes zeroed in on his chest, shamelessly looking his up and down before she realized what she was doing and looked up and away from Johnny's gaze completely.

"Hi Johnny how's it going? I'm just gonna head in now thanks." She said in a nervous rush, her voice wavering slightly. She felt a familiar burning sensation in her face that signified that her cheeks were enflamed with embarrassment and she quickly looked down in an effort to conceal her body's reaction to the rush of emotions that stemmed from seeing his bare chest.

She hurried into the garage's living area and nervously lingered around the living room area. Johnny ambled into the room casually, but there was a mischievous glint in his eyes that Meena couldn't catch in her embarrassed state. He sat down on the couch and Meena cautiously joined him, except she made sure that she was siting as far away from him as possible in order to forego any awkward contact. She could still feel the silky sensation of his hair against her skin and her blush intensified.

"So wot do ya wanna watch tonight? I've got a great selection." He broke the silence and Meena made the mistake of looking over at him once more. He was leaning back on the couch, his arms resting on the back of the couch and the armrest. Johnny was sight to behold and Meena let out a surprised squeak.

This wasn't the first time that she had seen Johnny shirtless. It had happened various times throughout the week, starting with the very first event on Monday:

 _Meena was walking through the theatre early Monday morning with her clipboard in hand. Eddie had asked her to do the early morning checks of the equipment for the week because his personal trainer had to change their meeting times. Meena knew that it was probably a lie so that he could sleep in until noon but she was too nice to say no so she had agreed to help him out._

 _The theatre was eerily quiet this early. Meena knew that Buster was probably in his office going over paperwork while Ms. Crawley did whatever she did every morning at her desk. No one else was set to arrive until around ten so she was alone on the stage. She was checking the rigging over by the changing rooms when she was startled by the sound of footsteps nearby. She jumped slightly when they got closer and turned around to find Johnny staring back at her, his eyes wide in surprise._

 _Meena froze and gulped, her face enflaming automatically and her ears pulling in close to her head. Normally seeing Johnny would make her happy, excited even, but today things were different. Firstly he had surprised her. She hadn't been expecting anyone else down in the stage area and her heart was still pounding from the shock of his appearance._

 _Secondly, he was naked. Well he wasn't fully naked, there was a towel wrapped low around his waist but it was more of Johnny than she had ever seen. Her eyes were practically glued to his muscular form, traveling over his arms, his chest, and his abdomen. A long scar across his abs broke the expanse of black hair that covered his body. Meena couldn't seem to look away and her mind was slowly shutting down so that all she could focus on was his half-naked form._

" _Good mornin' Meena." Johnny rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly and gripped the towel around his waist to make sure that the towel had very little chance of falling. Meena just remained frozen, saying absolutely nothing in response, her eyes glued to his chest._

" _The water got shut off in the garage so I've been takin' showers 'ere fer a lil' bit." He offered up an excuse just as Meena's brain seemed to turn back on. She let out a little squeak in an attempt to say something back before dropping her clipboard and bolting away from Johnny._

 _Johnny stood there looking confused and amused at the same time, watching as Meena disappeared around the corner and out the lobby. He chuckled slightly to himself and continued walking back to the locker room where his change of clothes was waiting._

 _Sure the situation was embarrassing but seeing Meena that red and that flustered was actually pretty adorable. The usually kind and gentlemanly gorilla grinned and slid on his clothes, a plan forming in his mind. He would do just about anything to see that adorable look once more._

Tuesday:

 _Meena had sufficiently recovered the next day to face Johnny once more. She had spent the rest of Monday in her practice room with the curtains drawn and her music playing loudly. Only once she was sure that everyone else, especially Johnny, had gone home did she emerge and hurry to the bus stop._

 _Today she had resolved herself to apologize to Johnny for ogling him and then hopefully continue on with her daily schedule. She had a lot to do to prepare for their next performance and since she hadn't gotten any work done the day before she had a full day planned. She stood outside of the theatre, psyching herself up to enter, for a few minutes. Eventually Rosita came along and found her, escorting her into the building with a comforting hand on her back._

 _Once inside Meena hurried to her practice room, shut the door and began practicing her piece for the show. After a few hours of practice she heard a knocking sound on her door. She quickly turned off her music and opened it with a welcoming smile. Johnny was standing on the other side of the door, leaning against the frame._

 _He was dressed in basketball shorts and sneakers and he was holding his work out tank top in one of his hands. Meena's brain stuttered to a stop in shock and she looked him over a second time. He was shirtless. Again. Her face turned bright red in surprise and her heart began pounding frantically._

"' _Ey Meena. Moon wants us ter meet on the stage for sum dance practice. Brin' your workaht clothes." With that he winked, gave her a charming grin and walked towards the stage entrance. Meena watched him go with a dazed look before disappearing back into her practice room to grab a change of clothes. She didn't even notice Johnny turning around and smirking back at her._

 _While her heart was trying to pound out of her chest, his was skipping a beat because of the look on her face. ' Did she normally have that reaction to seeing someone shirtless or was it just him?' He thought that over as he slipped on his tank top and headed out to join the others._

 _Meena disappeared once again, and when she didn't show up to dance practice Johnny immediately covered for her, saying that she didn't feel well and had gone home. Rosita quickly backed him up, saying that Meena had seemed a little off earlier that morning._

 _Buster quickly brushed it off after that and they continued with the dance practice._

Wednesday:

 _When Wednesday arrived so did a massive heat wave and unfortunately a malfunction with the theatre's air conditioner. The heat seemed never ending as it seeped through every crack and slowly turned the theatre into a furnace. As the temperature rose they all slowly migrated to center stage and began shedding layers. Their jackets and shoes were piled up in center of the stage and they were all sitting in various places around the stage. Buster had collapsed immediately and was peacefully napping on the hardwood of the stage, which still seemed to be a little cooler than anything else. Eddie was lying next to him, snoring loudly and sweating profusely._

 _Ash had shed a couple of her layers and was fanning herself with the sheet music of her newest song while scrolling through her phone. The heat had increased her surliness and she was so on edge that everyone found it best to avoid her until the air conditioning was repaired of the temperature outside cooled down._

 _Meena, Rosita, and Gunter were handling the heat better than their companions but that didn't stop Gunter from stripping down to his spandex and lounging on the stage, Rosita had taken off her button up and was drinking a bottle of water from her purse._

 _Meena was sitting on the stage playing a game on her phone. She had foregone her jeans that day for shorts and had quickly shed her jacket to reveal her tank top underneath. Initially she had been hesitant to take off her jacket, feeling very exposed without it but the heat had finally gotten to her and forced her to shed her jacket. Contrary to her suspicions no one commented on her unusual attire and eventually they all lapsed into a lethargic silence._

 _Meena was dozing on the stage a few hours later when the tension finally broke and Johnny stood up next to her. His long, black hair was too thick for the heat and it was slightly wet with sweat. He shed his shirt and sighed happily when some of the heavy heat was released. Meena rolled over her heavy head to see what he was doing and gasped breathlessly when she saw the reveal of his bare chest._

 _Johnny laid next to her on the hard wood of the stage and let out a relieved sigh. While he may have been relaxed Meena had tensed up and her cheeks were flushed as a new heat flowed through her face. She shifted nervously and any exhaustion that she had felt before had all but disappeared. She sat up suddenly, avoided looking down at Johnny who was lazily watching her from where he was laying._

" _I-I'm gonna head home and find some air conditioning." she announced out loud and hurried out of the theatre towards her house, towards safety._

Thursday:

 _She had come over to his house to pick up some sheet music for their performance when she was bombarded once more by a half-naked Johnny. She opened the door to the garage and walked in. looking around curiously for Johnny. When she didn't find him in the main room she headed towards his room. As she got closer she could hear music and the clinking sound of metal on metal._

 _She entered his room, lingering in the doorway as she took in his room. She had never been in there before and she wasn't surprised to see the walls decorated with posters of musical artists that resembled some in her own room._

 _In that moment, Johnny walked into the room covered in sweat, and once again shirtless. He was wiping the sweat off of his neck with a small white towel as he walked, and his face lit up when he saw her._

" _Meena! Just give me second ter get dressed. The sheet music is on me desk." He gave her an odd look that she had never seen before and then disappeared into her closet._

 _Meena's heart was pounding loudly in her ears and all of her blood was rushing to her face. She felt so flustered that she simply couldn't fathom speaking coherently to anyone; let alone Johnny, at this point._

 _Her gaze focused on the sheet music that rested innocently on the surface of his desk. Without really thinking it through she darted forward, snatched up the sheet music, shoved it in her bag and dashed out of the garage, desperate to put some distance between her and the garage. Despite her best efforts she couldn't get the image of his bare chest out of her head._

Meena was pulled out of her musings when Johnny reentered the room, this time clad in a tank top and sleep pants. He sat down next her and smiled the crooked smile of his. Meena's heart jumped again and not for the first time she wondered if she might develop some kind of heart problems after this was over.

'But when will it be over?' she asked herself and looked Johnny over with a scrutinizing look. There was no way that she saw Johnny shirtless everyday for a week by accident. She suddenly leaned forward and got in his face, startling Johnny.

"Uh…" He looked at her in confusion and opened his mouth to say something.

"Why do you keep exposing yourself to me?" she suddenly blurted out and this time Johnny's face went red with embarrassment.

"Wot?!" he exclaimed and shifted uncomfortably under her gaze. Meena seemed to realize just how bad what she had said sounded. She lost her nerve for a second before deciding that her embarrassment had to stop.

"Do you think it's funny that embarrassing me like this? Did you get a laugh? Well I don't think it's that funny. So…so stop it!" she grew more and more flustered with every word and her eyes welled up with frustrated tears. Johnny's eyes widened when he saw how upset she was getting. Meena suddenly stood and headed towards the door, her arms wrapped around her middle protectively.

"Maybe I should just go." She said quietly and hurried towards the door. Behind her, Johnny scrambled to his feet and chased after her, catching up to her at the door.

"Meena!" he called out and she tried to ignore him but he grabbed her arm in his solid grip and gently turned her around to face him. "I'm sorry I didn't mean ter make ya mad but I just wanted ter…ter clock ya blushin'." He desperately held onto her, trying to keep her from walking away. Meena looked at him in confusion but relaxed in his grip.

"'Cause…I loike ya." He said quietly and looked pleadingly into her eyes until they softened and a small smile appeared on her face at the same time that her cheeks turned rosy red.

"You like me?" Meena asked softly and Johnny's smile grew now that her emotions had settled and they were on good, maybe even great, terms again.

"O' course I do." He whispered and with that he leaned in and kissed her, the touch of his lips ever so gentle on hers. With that Meena melted into his embrace and the chaos that had been her emotions for the past week was calm once more.


	12. Snapshots Part 2

"Meena when is that boyfriend of yours gonna show up?" Meena's grandfather called from the living room where he had previously been napping in his favorite armchair. Meena, who was in the kitchen making lunch with her mother, exchanged an exasperated look with her mother.

"He'll be here soon Grandpa!" she called back and then focused back on the vegetables that she was chopping for the potpie. But her grandfather wasn't quite done ranting and he called out from the living room once more.

"That boy is already late. He's not makin' a very good first impression!" her Grandpa yelled out and Meena had to take a deep breath to relax herself.

"Grandpa he's not supposed to be here for another half hour! And you've already met him before… multiple times." She called out and added the vegetables into a bowl with the other ones that she had chopped earlier. She wiped her hands off on a towel and walked into the room where her grandparents were sitting. Her grandmother was sitting on the couch, engrossed in her favorite soap opera while her grandfather was reading the newspaper in his armchair.

"Doesn't give the boy an excuse to be late. We did invite him over for dinner. Least he can do is be courteous." He grumbled and Meena sighed, looking at her grandfather sternly.

"Be nice to Johnny when he gets here Grandpa. He's really excited to come to dinner with us tonight." She scolded her grandfather but he just harrumphed and went back to reading his paper.

Meena rolled her eyes and headed back to the kitchen. She was halfway there when there was a knock at the front door. Her face immediately lit up with excitement and she hurried over to the front door. She opened it up to find Johnny standing there with a small bouquet of fresh-picked daisies.

"Wotcha love." He gave her his signature crooked smile and offered her the flowers. She accepted them with a grin and sniffed them happily.

"Aww Johnny you know I love daisies." She said softly and held the flowers close to her chest. Johnny shrugged and Meena stepped aside so he could enter the house. She shut the door behind him and when she turned around he was watching her with a soft smile on his face.

"Wh-what are you looking at?" She nervously looked down at her clothes to see if anything was out of place.

"I'm lookin' at ya. Ya look beautiful." He said softly, cupping her cheek in his hand.

"That's ridiculous. I'm covered in flour and veggies from being in the kitchen all day. I need a shower, a change of clothes, and-" she stopped when he put a finger to her lips and leaned in close, pecking her lips gently.

"Ya always look beautiful ter me." He whispered and leaned in for another kiss. Meena giggled and looked around to make sure her family wasn't watching before leaning in and returning his kiss.

"Meena! Who's at the door honey?" Her mom called out from the kitchen and Meena immediately pulled back from Johnny and led him to the kitchen where her mother was mashing potatoes in a large bowl.

"Look who showed up early." Meena said and gently pushed Johnny towards her mother. Leslie immediately enveloped him in a warm hug and Johnny eagerly hugged her back. She hummed as she squeezed him tight before releasing him and turning back to the potatoes.

"Well hello there stranger." Leslie teased Johnny who just chuckled and shrugged slightly, "I know that you're probably gonna try and steal my daughter away but we aren't even close to being ready so you'll have to wait." She winked at him and then went back to cooking, humming to herself. Meena rolled her eyes when he pouted dramatically and pushed him away towards the living room when he tried to get another kiss from her. He laughed playfully and backed out of the kitchen when she threatened him with a spoon.

"Good evening Mr. and Mrs. Jones." He said politely as he entered the living room and found Meena's grandparents sitting there. Meena's grandmother smiled up at him and gave him a little wave before focusing back on her soap opera. Meena's grandfather threw down his newspaper with a huff and pointed towards the couch where his wife was sitting.

"Sit down over there boy. I've got something to show you." Johnny looked over at the couch curiously but quickly sat down in the middle cushion next to Meena's grandmother. Meena's grandfather hefted himself up out of his armchair and walked over to the bookshelf. He retrieved a thick purple album and then hobbled over to the couch. He sat down next to Johnny and looked him up and down with a critical eye.

Johnny shrunk away uncomfortably and looked around desperately for an escape, but he was trapped. Meena was still busy in the kitchen with her mother and Meena's grandma was too absorbed in the TV to save him. He was at the mercy of Meena's grandfather, which was a very dangerous position to be in.

Meena's grandfather leaned in and Johnny tried desperately to back away but there was nowhere to run. He felt a bead of sweat roll down his face and he stared into the steely eyes of the old elephant who was glaring at him.

"My granddaughter…" he practically growled out and Johnny audibly gulped in fear, "Is an angel. She's perfect. Always has been, always will be."

Johnny nodded quickly, desperately hoping that this was the end of the scary interrogation, but he was not that lucky. Apparently despite his nodding, the scared look on his face meant that he disagreed because Mr. Jones's eyes narrowed and he frowned over at him.

"You don't agree with me boy?" he growled and Johnny frantically began shaking his head and trying to stutter out a reply.

"O-of course I agree w-wif ya sir. Sh-she's amazin'. Fantastic!" he got a little frantic when Mr. Jones's face remained unchanged throughout his explanation.

"Well I'm gonna prove it to ya boy!" He suddenly exclaimed and pulled the album out from under his arm, brandishing it as if it was a weapon. Johnny's fear turned to curiosity, as he looked down ad the album. On the cover, written in all capitals was Meena's name. He smiled when he saw that below the original label a child had obviously written Meena in marker.

Mr. Jones opened the album and the first page was a photo of a tiny baby elephant swaddled in a purple blanket being cradled against Leslie's chest. Johnny's heart immediately melted and he leaned in closer to see the picture better.

"She was beautiful from the moment she was born." Mr. Jones's voice was suddenly softer and he stroked the picture with one hand. He seemed to forget that he wasn't a big fan of Johnny as he turned the page to a picture of a young Meena clutching a teddy bear and sucking on her thumb.

Johnny held back the snicker that tried to break free from his lips as he waited for the story that was sure to accompany the photo.

"That was Patchy, Meena's favorite toy when she was a little kid. She never let him go." He chuckled to himself and looked over at Johnny who froze but relaxed when he saw that Mr. Jones was smiling instead of glaring.

"Every time we needed to wash him we would have to take him from her while she was sleeping and throw him in the washer. In order to do it before she woke up we had to get up at three in the morning and run a covert operation." He laughed and Johnny nervously joined in, "Usually we would get it back to her before she woke up but one morning she got up early and found him missing. She cried the entire time we 'looked' for him and when she saw him in the washer she sat next to it with her hand on the door and cried until the cycle was over." Johnny chuckled and felt a warm feeling in his chest as his heart swelled with happiness.

"That's adorable." He grinned down at the book and eagerly watched as Mr. Jones flipped the page again to reveal a pre-teen Meena standing next to a worn purple bike with a basket and bell. There was a brand new bow on it and she was wearing a handmade sash that read "Birthday Girl". She was grinning brightly, revealing a full mouth of braces and more freckles than she had now.

Johnny chuckled at how adorable she looked in that picture but before he could comment on how cute she looked Meena's voice rang out from behind them.

"What are you two looking at over here?" She asked and Johnny jumped slightly in surprise. Meena leaned over the back of the couch and looked down at the album. She gasped and her face immediately turned bright red in embarrassment.

"Grandpa! What are you doing?!" She groaned in embarrassment and tried to grab at the book but Mr. Jones pulled it away just in time.

"I'm showing this young man my precious angel. I haven't even pulled out the videos yet." he eagerly got up and went to rifle through their video collection. The mortified look on Meena's face only got worse at his words and she glanced back in forth between her grandfather and Johnny.

"How much did you see? Did you see the videos?!" she asked frantically, coming around the couch and grabbing at his shirt. Johnny chuckled and clasped her hands, rubbing them comfortingly.

"Daan't worry love. I ain't seen the videos… yet." Johnny teased her when she looked relieved for a second. She tried to glare at him but he just chuckled and kissed her cheek. "Ya were adorable when ya were lil', and na ya 're absolutely beautiful." He winked, making her blush darker than before.

"Johnny! Stop it." She protested half-heartedly and but didn't try to pull away when he wrapped an arm around her waist. Neither of them noticed her grandfather hobbling over to the TV to put in the tape he had clasped in his hands.

"Doesn't matter wot ya look loike Meena. You'll always be beautiful ter me." Meena turned bright red at his compliments but Johnny wouldn't let her look away from him. Knowing the she wasn't comfortable with kissing in front of her family; he kissed her cheek and pulled her into his embrace.

Suddenly the sound of the soap opera cut out and was replaced by toddler Meena holding her Grandpa's cane and singing loudly without a care. Johnny looked over at the sound of singing from the TV and gasped in excitement when he saw the video. She was singing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star like she was on Broadway instead of in a living room. Meena let out an embarrassed squeak and tried to lurch forward and get the tape out but Johnny held her back, his eyes glued to her performance on screen.

"What's going on in here?" Leslie asked when she walked in, wiping her hands on a kitchen towel.

"Mom! Stop Grandpa he's embarrassing me!" Meena called out to her mother desperately, struggling slightly against Johnny's hold. Leslie surveyed the situation for a second before breaking into a large grin and hurrying over to where her father was singing along to the video.

"What do you mean honey? I love this video!" With that she began singing along as well, swaying slightly to the music. Meena groaned and buried her head in Johnny's chest, trying to ignore the fact that her entire family was now singing along to a video of her singing when she was little.

Johnny chuckled when Meena's grandma got up and they all began dancing around as they sang. Of course, none of them knew how to dance which only made Johnny laugh harder.

"What are they doing now?" Meena asked, her voice muffled by his shirt. Johnny looked down and stroked her head comfortingly.

"Daan't look Meena. They're dancin'." He whispered in her ear she groaned loudly.

"Oh my god I hate my family." She whimpered and Johnny just laughed and kissed the top of her head.

"I love your family."


	13. Hanging Out

"'Ey Meena. Wanna come over later and 'ang aht? We could watch sum movies or somethin'…" Johnny nervously rubbed the back of his neck with his hand and shifted on his feet. Meena stood frozen, her eyes wide and her mouth gaping slightly. She clutched the purple binder of sheet music to her chest and took a couple deep breaths, trying to calm her pounding heart enough to answer.

"I-I um..yeah. Yes! I-I would love to Johnny." She blurted out, her brain tripping over itself in an effort to keep up with her mouth. Johnny's entire face lit up with a grin at her reply and he shoved his hands in the pockets of his jeans.

"Great. Tha's great! I'll clock ya later then?" Meena nodded in response, unable to choke out any words in response. Johnny chuckled and turned around, walking away with an extra bounce in his step.

Meena watched him go, her heart rate slowly going back to normal. When he was gone she turned around and headed back to her practice room in a daze. She passed Ash on the way to the room and she barely registered when her friend greeted her.

"Hey Meena. What's up?" she asked and Meena slowed down enough to give a reply.

"I'm good howabout you?" She answered and kept wandering past, the binder still clutched to her chest. Ash stopped short, taking a second to think about her friend's response and once she confirmed that it was in fact out of place she turned around and quickly followed Meena to her practice room where she was packing up her backpack. Ash watched as she tripped over a music stand in the middle of the room. Ash sighed and knocked on the door to get her attention.

"Alright tell me what's going on in that head of yours Meena." She said, wandering into the room with a big smirk on her face.

Meena wrung her hands together and pulled her ears in close to her head, "I-I don't know what you're talking about Ash." Meena said softly, looking anywhere except at Ash.

"Meena when I passed you in the hallway and asked you what's up you said, 'I'm good howabout you?'. So let's try this again. What's going on in that head of yours?" Ash smirked when Meena stiffened and the slumped into her chair. She put her head in her hands and mumbled something indiscernible. Ash groaned, cursing Meena's shyness and came closer to where she was sitting.

"I don't understand mumble Meena." she groaned and Meena sighed heavily before pulling her head up and looking Ash in the eye.

"Johnny asked me to come over and hang out." She said all in one breath as if purging something from her system.

"Well that doesn't sound like a big-" Ash tried to comfort her but Meena interrupted her.

"Alone."

"Oh…Oh damn." Meena nodded and buried her head in her hands once more, "Lover boy finally asked you out!" Ash exclaimed excitedly and wrapped her arm as far around Meena's shoulders as she could.

"This is your golden opportunity!" Ash smiled and clapped her hand gleefully. Meena just shook her head in despair.

"I don't think I can do it Ash. I just get so nervous. I don't know how to talk to him." Meena got up suddenly and began pacing around the practice room. Ash hopped up in her chair and stood on the seat so that she was somewhat closer to Meena's height.

"Meena. Meena listen to me." But Meena ignored her and kept pacing, mumbling her fears to herself. "Meena!" she yelled and her friend froze midstep.

"Come over here." She commanded and Meena trudged over, not an ounce of confidence in her body.

"Now listen to me. Johnny invited you to hang out with him alone for a reason. I'm not gonna let you mess this up." Meena nodded meekly and Ash grabbed ahold of her jacket and pulled her forward.

"Do you like him?" Meena nodded slowly and Ash shook her slightly, "Do. You. Like. Him?"

"Y-yes! Yes I do!" Meena said, surprise clear on her face but that didn't deter Ash.

"Do you want to spend time with him?" She continued.

"I-Yes." She slowly gained confidence with her answers, standing a little bit taller.

"Alone?"

"Yes." She smiled and her ears flared slightly as her confidence grew even more.

"Then don't let this opportunity go by! Get going and don't be late!" Ash released her and Meena confidently put on her backpack and headed for the door. She got to the doorway before she froze and turned around.

"But what if-" she tried to formulate another excuse but Ash didn't even let her finish.

"Meena go!" she yelled, rubbing her temples in frustration. Meena nodded and continued walking out the door, trying to keep her confidence high. She was able to maintain it on her way to the bus stop, throughout the bus ride to Johnny's place, and up until the moment that she knocked on the garage door. As soon as her hand touched the metal of the door it all evaporated. She was halfway ready to bolt when Johnny opened the door and suddenly it was too late to run.

"H-hi Johnny." Meena was surprised that she could still speak let alone put together a coherent sentence. Johnny was standing there in front of her in jeans and a tank top that hid absolutely nothing.

"Meena! Please come in! I ordered us sum pizza if that's okay." His words came out in a rush, and that was when Meena realized that he was just as nervous as she was. When she realized this she relaxed a little bit and entered the garage.

"That's fine. I like pizza." She smiled shyly up at him and he grinned, showing her into the living room. He had obviously cleaned up the garage because the garage looked almost too clean. The pizza boxes were on the table in front of the couch and the TV was displaying the main menu for a popular action movie.

"I thought that Die 'Ard might be a good movie ter watch. It's popular and um… ya daan't loike it do ya?" He suddenly got a nervous look on his face when she didn't immediately get excited over the movie and the pizza. Meena's eyes widened and she spun around from her survey of the room.

"No. No, Johnny I actually really like action movies. This is one of my favorites." She smiled and awkwardly squeezed his hand before walking over to the couch. She put her backpack down on the ground and sat down on the edge of the couch, nervously waiting for him to join her.

Johnny hurried over to the couch and sat down next to her. He fiddled with the pizza boxes before opening them and revealing two pizzas, one with bell peppers and black olives and the other with mushrooms and onions.

"I didn't kna wot ya liked on your pizza so I got the basics." He nervously waited for her to grab a piece and Meena eagerly grabbed a couple pieces of the bell pepper and black olive pizza. She put them on a plate and leaned back on the couch, getting comfy. She just kept repeating to herself that there was nothing to worry about and she should just relax.

Once she relaxed into the couch Johnny took pizza for himself and pressed play on the movie. Johnny got comfortable next to her and their shoulders pressed against each other accidentally. Suddenly all Meena could think about was the warm feeling of his body heat and how that feeling travelled to her heart and spread throughout her body.

She missed the first fifteen minutes of the movie she was so absorbed in her thoughts. It was only when Johnny leaned over and whispered that the current scene was his favorite did she actually focus back in on the movie.

As the movie progressed they leaned in closer and closer until Meena was practically resting her head on Johnny's chest. Even though she had seen the movie a million times she still jumped when a villain would jump out of nowhere and an attack scene would commence. She gripped the fabric Johnny's shirt every time it happened. She couldn't see but every time she did so Johnny's face would light up and one of his hands would come down to stroke her head comfortingly.

When the movie ended Meena sniffled slightly and sat up, trying to wipe her eyes covertly, but Johnny caught her.

"You've seen the bleedin' movie a million time and ya still cry at the endin'?" He chuckled and Meena gave him a playful glare. He held up his hands in mock surrender and laughed when she gave him a playful shove.

"I'm a sucker for a happy ending alright?" She sniffled and he handed her some tissues as he got up to switch out the movie for its sequel. She blew her trunk and threw the tissue away in a nearby trashcan.

Johnny put in Die Hard 2 and hurried over to the couch and sat down in his spot. Instead of starting their awkward movements once more Meena immediately resumed her position with her head resting on his chest. Johnny was surprised for a second by the bold move but happily put his arm around her shoulders.

Meena felt her heart pounding when his arm wrapped around her and a few minutes after her first jump scare he tightened his arms around her and she nestled in closer to his chest. With her ear pressed against his chest she suddenly heard the sound of his heart pounding fast against his ribcage. A smile creeped onto her face and she relaxed her body into his embrace, repeating her mantra that he was nervous too. Everything would be okay as long as Johnny was nervous too.

But then, Johnny wasn't nervous anymore. When the movie finished he suggested that they play a game on his game station.

"I um…don't really know how to play." She blushed, embarrassed by her own inability to play. Johnny just shrugged and handed her a controller. She held it backwards, giving him a confused look when he let out a laugh.

"Let me 'elp ya." he chuckled and helped her position the controller in her hands, holding his hands over hers so that they were in the right position. Meena felt her cheeks heat up at the close contact and she refused to look away from the controller. Once he had gone over the buttons and she was ready to play he set up the game and sat next to her. Meena was timid the first round, but with some encouragement and some flirtatious touches she got into the game for real.

She drove her car around the track, getting closer and closer to Johnny's character in first place. Her heart pumping for a new reason she cheered as she passed him right before the finish line. She jumped up from her seat, cheering and waving her controller around while Johnny sat on the couch and pretended to pout. But with one look at the sheer joy on her face a smile broke through his facade and he was laughing along with her.

Once their laughter died down he selected a two-way racing match with four rounds from the menu.

"I've got an idea. If you're so good at this game na why daan't we make it a lil' interestin'?" He smirked and Meena looked down at her controller before nodding excitedly.

"Perfect. If ya win the majority of the bloomin' rounds ya can 'ave whatever ya want. If I win, I get whatever I want." He leaned in close, smirking and Meena felt her cheeks turning bright red. There was a new challenging look in his eye that she wasn't used to seeing and it made her heart starting to thump heavily in her chest. Normally she would have backed out at this point and maybe turned into a stuttering mess but she managed to just barely stumble over her words.

"I'm r-ready. L-let's do this!" She tried to sound confident but she could still hear the wobble in her own voice. Johnny grinned and started the game, winking at Meena as the countdown started.

Her breath stuttered slightly and she missed the start of the race because she was so distracted by him. She quickly turned back to the race and tried to catch up but by the last round she was still too far behind. She groaned when she lost the round to him and her determination hardened for the next round. This time before it started Johnny scooted closer to hear and each time he leaned over to turn his wheel their arms brushed and her heart skipped a beat. She was only seconds behind him this round but he still won the round. Meena frowned in disappointment and gave Johnny an analyzing look. She knew that he was distracting her on purpose but she wanted to win the bet so she decided that she wasn't going to let him beat her anymore.

Thanks to her newfound determination she won the next round even though Johnny was trying to distract her by leaning into her. Even though the sensation of his hair on her smooth skin was exotic and very distracting, her iron will came through.

It lasted all of one round before he overtook her and they were neck and neck in the last round. Meena and Johnny both leaned in as if the new angle would give them the advantage. When they raced over the finish line they watched the screen in anticipation to see who was the winner of the round.

When the results came up on the screen Johnny cheered and Meena's cheeks turned red in anticipation for his next move. Once Johnny had finished cheering for himself and celebrating he turned to her and sat back down.

"I guess I win then. And I kna exactly wot I want." He leaned forward and nervously put his hand over hers. Meena gulped and couldn't look away from his magnetic gaze.

"Can I 'ave a kiss?" he asked softly and Meena felt her heart jump into her throat. She tried desperately to catch her breath but she couldn't breathe in enough to clear her head. When she didn't say anything for a few minutes Johnny' confidence melted away and he was suddenly the nervous wreck from before.

"Ya daan't 'ave ter if ya daan't wanna Meena. I'm sorry I made this awkward." he looked down and backed away from Meena but something inside her wasn't going to let this moment pass her by. Ash's voice kept ringing in her head and Meena simply couldn't let this opportunity pass her by. If she did she wouldn't get a chance like this again.

"Yes." She said softly, her confidence trying to break through her suffocating shyness. Johnny froze and leaned back in, and gave her a hopeful look.

"Wot did ya say?" He breathed out and Meena took a deep breath, mustering up her courage again.

"You can have a k-kiss. You can have as m-many as you um… want." She stuttered out and Johnny's brown eyes lit up in a way that she had never seen before. Suddenly it was too much and her bashfulness won out once more. She looked down and away from his eyes, her heart stopped in her chest. She felt the pressure of her embarrassment increasing steadily and she felt like if she waited in this silence one more minute then she would die. Just when she felt like her heart was about to give in to her whirling emotions Johnny's soft hand cupped her chin and gently tilted it so that she was looking him in the eyes once more.

Neither of them said anything as he leaned in and his lips neared hers. Her pounding heart was all she could hear but his eyes were all that she could see. When their lips finally connected everything else in the world melted away and she was encompassed in the sensation of his kiss.

She closed her eyes and relaxed, thanking whatever power in the universe had given her the confidence to make this change in her life, to let her inhibitions down and to ultimately kiss Johnny. Maybe it was okay to take a chance once in awhile.


	14. Beach Day

"Johnny are you ever gonna tell me where we're going?" Meena sighed and leaned back in the seat of Johnny's truck. He had been acting mysterious since he picked her up from work about an hour ago.

 _Just as Meena stepped out of the bakery Johnny pulled up to the curb in his old black truck. Meena greeted her boyfriend with a happy smile and hopped into the truck, putting her backpack on the floor by her feet. Johnny had his radio blasting as usual, and everything seemed normal until she saw how he was dressed. She had never seen him out in public without his old black leather jacket and suddenly today he was sitting in his truck wearing cargo shorts, a colorful tank top and sunglasses._

 _Meena did a double take, gaping at him, but Johnny seemed unfazed by her stare. He just lifted up his sunglasses, winked at her, and started driving in the opposite direction of her house. Meena alternated between staring at her boyfriend and the passing buildings for a few seconds as her brain scrambled to put together what was happening. Finally she reached over, turned the radio volume down and began her attempt at an interrogation._

" _Where are we going?" She decided to be direct but Johnny just chuckled and a soft smile slid across his face._

" _It's a surprise Meena." He said and turned his attention back to the road, leaving her wholly unsatisfied with his answer._

" _But I need to tell my mom-" she tried to use her mother but it seemed that he had planned for just about everything._

" _I already told 'er. She's fine wif it as long as we're back tonight." He kept looking at the road, but the satisfied smile on his face only grew._

" _Wait. What?" She stopped short and stared at him, narrowing her eyes suspiciously, "When did you talk to my mom?"_

" _We texted." he shrugged nonchalantly and Meena sputtered in surprise._

" _You and my mom text? You hate texting. And she doesn't know how." She was in total shock. If he had suffered through a text message conversation with her clueless mother then he must have been very determined to go through with whatever he was planning. She sat back against the worn leather of the seat and watched the landscape change from bustling city streets to open fields and rolling hills._

" _Is the interrogation over?" he broke the silence, startling Meena out of her thoughts. She screwed up her face in thought and sighed, leaning against the windowsill._

" _For now." she sighed and looked out the window. She jumped when she felt his hand on her knee but quickly relaxed under his touch, the warm feeling of his hand on her thigh was always welcome._

" _Good," he rolled down the windows and let the warm breeze blow through the car as he turned the music back up to accompany the sounds of the wind, "Then relax and enjoy the ride."_

 _Meena refused to look his way and give him the satisfaction of knowing that he had effectively put her suspicions to rest, but a secret smile had taken over her face. She closed her eyes and relaxed, letting herself fall victim to the appeals of his surprise._

The landscape had changed once more and the street that they were cruising down was lined with palm trees and small shops and diners. Johnny chuckled at her frustration and as he came to a stop at a stoplight he leaned over and grabbed her hand. He kissed it ever so softly and Meena felt her heart jump in her chest the same way that it always did when he kissed her.

"Close yer eyes please." He requested and Meena gave him a skeptical look in response. Johnny laughed and gave her his equivalent of a child's puppy dog face. Meena immediately caved and her eyes slid shut. She was immersed in darkness but she still had her other senses. Her sensitive trunk was picking up a salty taste in the air that made her trunk wrinkle slightly at the foreign sensation. Her equally sensitive ears were picking up an unfamiliar roaring sound that crashed and rolled through the air with a steady tempo. Like a parade she was hit by wave after wave of these new sensations and she quickly forgot that she was eager to find out where they were and what they were doing.

When the truck came to a stop she eagerly turned her head, searching for another clue. Her guess was sitting on the tip of her tongue, but she couldn't quite place these hints. She heard the slam of the door as Johnny got out of the truck and rounded it to get to her side.

 _Johnny was wearing shorts, a tank top, and sunglasses._

There was a click as the door opened and Johnny's steady hands guided her out of the truck and onto the ground. It immediately gave way beneath her feet and she panicked for a moment until Johnny's hand clasped hers and began leading her across the soft ground towards an unknown destination.

 _The smell of salt._

The smell grew stronger as they moved forward and her tongue darted out to taste the faint layer of salt that had coated her lips. The air was so thick with salt and moisture that she could feel it on her skin, a new wait that made her slightly uncomfortable but her sense of adventure won out.

 _The roaring sound._

The rhythmic roaring grew louder with each step and she tensed each time the great crash sounded, as if something was about to collide with her. It filled her with a thrill that made her heart pump with excitement and her eyes itch to open and see what exactly Johnny was hiding from her. She was ready to give in and take a peek when Johnny came to a stop and fiddled with whatever he was carrying for a second. Then the noise stopped and she was standing there alone in the darkness with these overwhelming sensations pounding at her mind, demanding to be noticed.

"Open yer eyes love." His voice suddenly whispered in her ear and her eyes shot open in her excitement. She had to blink a couple times to adjust to the bright light of the sun but once her vision cleared she barely believed her eyes.

Before her was the glittering expanse of aqua that rushed to the shore and rolled over itself in its eagerness to greet her. She let out a breathless laugh, unsure of how to express her joy. The beach. He had taken her to the beach.

She knelt down and grabbed a handful of sand, letting it slip through her fingers, enjoying the feeling of each individual grain as it escaped her grasp. Meena laughed again, louder and surer this time. She spun around, still laughing in pure unbridled joy and darted towards Johnny. He wasn't expecting the sudden attack but caught her nonetheless, spinning her around slightly to combat the force of her approach. Meena ignored his shaky balance and sealed her lips over his, kissing him eagerly and gratefully, conveying every ounce of thanks that was bursting out of her in a waterfall of happiness.

When she kissed him he stopped short and closed his eyes, savoring her kiss and smiling against her lips. Meena felt his smile and pulled back from his mouth to see it with her own eyes. He was practically grinning now, and with the sunlight surrounding him, he had never looked more handsome.

Johnny stepped to the side and gestured to the large beach towel that he had spread over the sand. There was a bag sitting on top of it as well as a shopping bag with four sodas and some oranges. Meena curiously picked up the other bag and looked inside. She gasped when she saw that the contents were in fact her clothes, something a bit more beach appropriate. She looked up at Johnny for an explanation but he just gestured to a changing tent that had been set up by someone else. Meena hurried over to it and changed out of her work uniform into the clothes. She found herself wearing a pair of cutoff jean shorts and a light green tank top that billowed and danced in the breeze. She took off her shoes completely and walked back over to Johnny barefoot. The sand moved pleasantly between her toes and she was so distracted by the weird feeling to notice that she was back at the towel and Johnny was frozen, staring at her appreciatively.

"Oh look I found me an angel on the bloody beach." he stood and wrapped his arm around her waist. His other hand clasped hers and he led them in an impromptu dance in the sand. Meena blushed at his compliment and laid her head on his shoulder, her eyes closing in satisfaction.

After a few minutes of slow spinning Johnny began spinning her faster, his loud laughter filling the air. Meena opened her eyes and was immediately infected by his laughter. They laughed wildly and spun each other around on the beach, kicking up puffs of sand with every step. After a few minutes they slowed their dance to a slow spin and Meena once again found herself in Johnny's arms.

She let herself enjoy the moment for a few seconds before she stepped back from his embrace and began back tracking slowly, a mischievous smile on her face. Johnny watched her curiously, and once Meena was sure that she had a good lead she tuned around and began sprinting away along the beach.

"Catch me if you can." she called back and Johnny began chasing after her, a determined grin on his face. Meena looked back to see if he was chasing her and gasped when she found that he was inches from grabbing at her shirt. She sped up, turned slightly so that she was heading for the safety of their beach towel. She was just about to reach it when something solid tackled her from behind. They rolled around in the sand, grappling playfully before Johnny pinned her to the ground with a cocky grin.

Meena looked up at him wordlessly, a grin on her face as she panted slightly from exertion and her cheeks turned a light pink from the chase and her happiness. Johnny stayed on top of her for a minute, memorizing every detail of her face in that fleeting moment. Once he was satisfied he leaned forward and captured her lips with his own. They made out in the sand for a few minutes before Johnny was able to pull himself back from her beauty. He helped her up and brought her back over to the towel.

"Na there is a list of essential things that ya 'ave ter do while you're 'ere or it doesn't count. The beach code if ya will." Johnny said with mock seriousness and Meena paid rapt attention as he made a list.

"First, a sandcastle buidlin' contest. Then a snack break, we watch the sunset wif our feet in the ocean and finally we lay 'ere and count the stars." He counted each item off on his fingers and looked to Meena once he was finished as if to check her commitment level. Meena just grinned up at him and leapt up.

"Let's get to work." was all she said before she began digging up sand for her castle. Johnny quickly joined her in wok on his own castle.

Many hours later after numerous cave-ins, 'accidental' smushings and traded jibes they were finally finished. Meena's castle was actually fairly well done for not having a bucket; she had even created a moat that ran around the perimeter. Johnny's had been a new age, risky design that collapsed as soon as he looked away. Meena watched, trying desperately to hold back her giggles as he searched the sand for something. He exclaimed excitedly when he found it and busied himself with placing it on the mound of collapsed sand. He then stepped back to reveal that his addition was in fact a small green leaf that was standing up on the very top of the mound of sand.

Meena began clapping vigorously and finally released her laugh when Johnny took a playful bow, thanking his invisible audience. Meena shook her head in exasperation and walked back over to the big towel, where she plopped down happily. Johnny joined her a few seconds later and pulled out two sodas and an orange for each of them.

They then proceeded to spend the rest of the time until sunset feeding each other orange slices and talking about whatever came to mind. It was an easy and fun conversation that flowed without a care in the world, just like them.

Meena pretended to offer up her last orange slice and just as Johnny was about to take it she shoved it into her mouth and stuck her tongue out at him. Johnny whined in despair, throwing an imaginary fit before snagging what was left of her soda and polishing it off before she could stop him.

Meena opened her mouth to scold him but stopped short when she saw that the colors of the sky were starting to morph into a rainbow of reds, oranges, and purples. In a daze, she stood and took in every color with eyes full of awe. Johnny took her hand and wordlessly led her over to the shore where waves were lazily lapping at the shore. Meena stopped short at the idea of going into the water, her mind flashing back to the theatre disaster and her near death experience. She looked to Johnny, her eyes now wide with trepidation rather than awe. He squeezed her hand and gently led her to the very shallow tide area.

"Trust me." Meena gulped and took a deep breath before following him into the water, letting herself continue walking into the water as it gradually rose to her ankles and finally stopped at her knees. She held Johnny's hand in a death grip as she stared down into the water that enveloped her legs. Just when she felt like she might panic Johnny gently took her chin and lifted her gaze up to the morphing sunset. Just as the colors blended and faded into each other, her fears blended into the background and she was able to enjoy the sunset with him. They stood like that, hands clasped and eyes scanning the sun's tapestry, until the sun disappeared behind the horizon and the night sky took over.

Johnny led the way once more, lying back down on the towel. Meena settled down next to him, her head on his chest and her fingers playing with the damp hair on his arm. They both laid there in silence, watching as the stars came out of hiding and twinkled brightly in the sky.

"Thank you. For today." Meena whispered as night finally settled in and all of the stars rested comfortably in the sky. Meena looked up at Johnny as she said this and he looked down at her with a soft smile on his face.

"Anythin' for ya." he whispered and she quickly bestowed a sweet kiss on his lips. They pulled back slowly, their eyes still closed, keeping the moment alive for as long as they could. Eventually Meena settled back into silence and they returned to stargazing

"I counted a 'undred." Johnny declared triumphantly and Meena shook with silent laughter. He tried to convince her that there were only a hundred stars in the sky as they packed up, and even as they got in the car. Meena tried valiantly to stay awake and argue with him but the day finally caught up to her and she slipped into a peaceful slumber.

Johnny saw that she was sleeping soundly and stopped mid sentence, trying not to disturb her slumber. Her face was relaxed in sleep and her lips were pulled into a slight smile that made his heart do flips in his chest. Johnny felt content and refocused on the road, humming long to the soft song that faintly filled the cab of the truck.

Anything was worth it if it made her dreams come true.


	15. Swimming Lessons

It was the middle of summer and the heat was nearly unbearable in its intensity, and yet Meena refused to move from her spot on the pool chair. The entire theatre family had gathered for a barbeque at Eddie's house one afternoon in order to celebrate Johnny's birthday. Meena had been eager to go until she found out that the party was a pool party. In that moment her paralyzing fear had set in.

She hasn't been truly paralyzed by fear since her first performance, but then again she hadn't had an intense fear of drowning before then. She agonized over whether or not to pretend to be sick and skip the party to preserve her dignity or suck it up and sit on the edge of the pool with her feet in the water the whole time.

Twenty minutes before the party, standing in her bedroom in her bathing suit and pool cover dress with a towel in hand she decided to pretend to be sick. Unfortunately for her, her mother didn't buy it and practically forced her into their old car. She spent the entire drive rambling about how Meena needed to branch out and socialize more and Meena was inwardly hyperventilating. When they arrived at Eddie's estate her mother drove around back where she could see the others enjoying the pool area.

Meena took a deep breath and gripped the door handle with a death grip. She took another deep breath and stared at her hand as if that would inspire it to move and open the door. It didn't work. She looked at her mother one last time to see if she would take her home but she was gone. Suddenly the door opened from the outside and Meena's mom gently pulled her daughter out of the car. She gave Meena a big hug before getting in the car and driving away. Meena was left standing in the driveway, completely petrified.

Eventually she worked up the courage to go through the gate and walk over to the pool area. She greeted her friends with a shaky smile and hurried over to a pool chair. She set down her things and stiffly laid back on the chair. Around her the party continued and she tried for a few minutes to distract herself by observing what the others were doing. Rosita had set up a slip n' slide for her piglets and they were all taking turns sliding downhill in various ridiculous positions. Rosita was standing next to the grill chatting with her husband Norman, who was busily cooking lunch. Buster and Eddie were having a jumping contest on the diving board like children. Ash was laying on a nearby pool chair sunning with her sunglasses on and her headphones in her ears. Johnny, the birthday boy himself, was swimming in the pool, laughing as he judged the jumping contest. Meena fleetingly wished that she could get in the water with him and enjoy the party, but that only turned her thoughts to the water. Instead of panicking outwardly, she pretended to be sunning like Ash, but in reality her mind was filled with the rushing water, the burning in her lungs from a lack of air and the all encompassing fear that gripped every inch of her body.

She sat like that for what felt like hours but her fear refused to go away. Just when she thought that she could go put her feet in the water it would surge back up in her head and send her into another silent panic attack.

The torturous cycle was broken when she heard Johnny's sweet voice calling her name. She sat up and looked at him in surprise. He was leaning against the side of the pool with his arms crossed in front of him on the pool deck. He was resting his head on his arms and smiling up at her.

"Come swim wif me Meena." he called to her and Meena's heart jumped into her throat as her stomach sunk to her feet. She was beyond happy that he wanted her of all animals to swim with him, hang out with him, but her fear was bigger than her crush in that moment. She smiled nervously and shook her head no, unable to refuse his request verbally.

He frowned for a second before reaching out his hand and smiling mischievously, "Ya 'ave ter. It's me birthday wish." And just like that he won.

Meena stood on shaky legs and slowly removed her pool dress, revealing a lavender one piece bathing suit that tied off behind her neck, leaving her back exposed. Tentatively she walked towards the pool, her throat dry. She focused on Johnny, who was now beaming as he watched her approach. Instead of heading for the stairs to get into the pool she sat down on the side and carefully slide her feet into the cool waters.

Johnny swam over to where she was sitting and habitually slicked back his wet hair, effectively making his unruly hair bounce back messier than before. If Meena hadn't been consumed with her fear of the water she probably would have been charmed beyond belief by that small move.

Johnny stood up on the shallow bottom of the poll and waded the rest of the way over. "Tha's not exactly swimmin' Meena." He scolded her playfully and took her hand in his. He gave it a playful tug, trying to pull her in the water but Meena resisted with every ounce of her being, despite that fact that her heart wanted to jump in that water and enjoy her time with Johnny. She was trying to calm her already pounding heart when Johnny tugged again and sent her sliding into the pool.

She immediately panicked, thrashing around and desperately trying to fine traction on the slick floor of the pool. Her frantic motions sent her back to the edge and she grabbed onto it like her life depended on it, which she was pretty sure that it did. She tried frantically to restart her heart, which felt frozen in shock. She was still gripping the edge when Johnny's hand gently came to rest on her shoulder. With a slight pressure he turned her around to face him. At the sight of his face screwed up in concern for her, her heart started beating once more, fast and frantic.

"Meena 're ya okay? I didn't meant ter scare ya." he looked honestly concerned that it was his fault that she was freaking out and for some reason that calmed her down enough to let her get some words out.

"You didn't scare me…the pool… I haven't been able to get near a lot of water since the theatre was destroyed." She stuttered out her explanation, pleading with her eyes for him to understand and not laugh in her face. Thankfully, his concern changed to deep understanding and her pulled her away from the ledge to be enveloped in a tight hug. Meena clung to him out of fear and the need for support and when he pulled away slightly she kept a weary eye on the ledge that was so close yet so far away.

Johnny followed her gaze to the ledge and then turned back to look at her with a new determination shining in his eyes. "Meena, do ya trust me?" Meena tentatively nodded her head yes, unsure where he was going with this.  
He smiled and slowly started to walk towards the deep end with Meena still clinging onto his arms. He stopped at the very edge of where he could stand and Meena was already hyperventilating, her eyes glued to the slightly dark water. Johnny turned her head to look at him and they stayed there for a little bit. Just when Meena opened her mouth to ask him to take her back someone turned up the radio so that familiar melody drowned out her words. Johnny smiled encouragingly and began singing along.

 _Just a small town girl_

 _Living in a lonely world_

 _She took the midnight train goin' anywhere_

He nodded to Meena who kept her eyes on him and shakily sang the next lyrics, her confidence rising with each word.

 _Just a city boy_

 _Born and raised in south Detroit_

 _He took the midnight train going anywhere_

Johnny slowly spun her around, getting her comfortable in the water where she could still stand and depend on him to hold her up. As they slowly danced under the water he continued singing along, occasionally joined by Meena.

 _A singer in a smoky room_

 _A smell of wine and cheap perfume_

 _For a smile they can share the night_

 _It goes on and on, and on, and on_

As the chorus started he stopped singing and pulled her out to the deeper waters where she could no longer touch. Her confidence evaporated but before she could start to panic he grabbed her hand and held her steady above the surface, showing her how to kick with her feet. When she stopped singing he gave her a meaningful look and she nervously joined into the chorus of the song.

 _Strangers waitin'_

 _Up and down the boulevard_

 _Their shadows searching in the night_

 _Streetlights, people_

 _Livin' just to find emotion_

 _Hidin' somewhere in the night_

By the end of the chorus she was singing just as strongly as she was kicking and she was too wrapped up in Johnny and the song that she was singing to let the fear take her over. A smile broke out on her lips and even though she was still gripping Johnny's arms she felt like she was able to relax. At least she was until he started to pull away.

She went silent and watched him nervously as he pulled away from her grip and showed her how to use her arms to keep herself afloat without him. This time Meena kept singing along without his prompting, knowing that if she focused on him and the music then everything would be okay.

 _Workin' hard to get my fill_

 _Everybody wants a thrill_

 _Payin' anythin' to roll the dice_

 _Just one more time_

 _Some will win, Some will lose_

 _Some were born to sing the blues_

 _Oh, the movie never ends_

 _It goes on and on, and on, and on_

Just as she was getting comfortable Johnny grabbed her hand once more and began leading her in swimming around the pool. She watched his movements and copied him easily, gliding through the water a little awkwardly but effectively nonetheless. She began to enjoy the feeling of the water flowing around her and appreciated how it cooled her down in the face of the heat of the sun. She continued to sing with each stroke, a habit starting to form as the echo of the music danced around in her brain.

 _Strangers waitin'_

 _Up and down the boulevard_

 _Their shadows searchin' in the night_

 _Streetlights, people_

 _Livin' just to find emotion_

 _Hidin' somewhere in the night_

Johnny stopped moving motioned for her to watch him as he took a deep breath and dove under the surface, swimming around underneath her before coming up for air with a big smile on his face. Meena began shaking her head frantically as he pointed to her and panic welled up inside of her. She could handle being above water but what if she ran out of air? What if he didn't save her in time? What if she drowned?

Johnny saw her rising panic and quickly swam over to her side, letting her hold onto his arms again. "Meena, Meena." he gently called her name and she focused in on his big brown eyes, so caring and warm.

"Relax. It's gonna be ok, you'll be fine." he said slowly, squeezing her hands gently to let her know that he was there, he was holding onto her, and she was safe. Meena's heart slowed in her chest but that didn't stop her brain from producing scenario after horrible scenario.

"What if you don't get to me in time? What if I-" he cut her off with a finger to her lips and immediately replaced that horrible thought with the most romantic thing that she had ever heard.

"I will always save ya. Always." He looked so serious when he said it that Meena couldn't find the words to argue with him. He just said it like it was a fact of nature, an inevitable future, a law, and how could she possibly refute that? Why would she want to?

 _Don't stop believin'_

 _Hold on to the feelin'_

 _Streetlights, people_

 _Ohh-Ohhh-Ohhhhhhhh_

"Do ya trust me?" He asked softly and Meena immediately nodded, hoping that she was nodding fast enough to convince him.

 _Don't stop believin'_

 _Hold on to the feelin'_

 _Streetlights, people_

 _Ohh-Ohhh-Ohhhhhhhh_

"Do ya trust me ter save ya?" he asked again and Meena nodded much slower this time, taking the time to convince both him and herself. She knew that he would be right there, he had promised.

 _Don't stop believin'_

 _Hold on_

 _Streetlights, people_

 _Ohh-Ohhh-Ohhhhhhhh_

"Then let's do this. Together." he declared and Meena slowly followed him below the surface, closed her eyes and was suddenly completely surrounded by water. For all of a few seconds images of her near-drowning experience flashed through her mind. She quickly banished them with the lyrics to the song that was now firmly burned into her mind.

 _Don't stop believin'_

 _Hold on to the feelin'_

 _Streetlights, people_

 _Ohh-Ohhh-Ohhhhhhhh_

At that exact moment Johnny's hand clasped hers and led her up to the surface where she gulped in precious air and let out a joyful laugh that was music to his ears. She began swimming around him, playfully splashing him with water and laughing when her returned her attacks.

"I knew ya could do it." He said as he watched her dive under him and swim around the bottom of the poll, little bubbles following her in a trail. She popped up once more and swam over to him to envelope him in a gentle but sincere hug. She leaned up and whispered in his ear jsut as his arms came around to hug her with as much affection if not more.

"Maybe swimming isn't so bad." Meena shrugged and dove under the surface. As soon as she disappeared he followed suit, playfully chasing her around the large pool. Everyday, especially his brithday, was a good day when he could make Meena smile just like that.


	16. A Little Curiosity, A Little Revenge

Meena snuggled happily into Johnny's couch, settling comfortably into her spot on his couch. _Casino Royale_ was playing in the background and Johnny's eyes were glued to the screen as a dashing white-furred wolf chased an agile chimp through a construction sight in Madagascar. They had been marathoning the James Bond movies all weekend because as soon as she found out that her new boyfriend was a James Bond virgin, Meena had made it her mission to educate Johnny in the ways of action movies. While Johnny watched the dramatic chase scene that was playing out on screen she examined him. Since they started dating a few weeks ago they had learned so much about each other, but there was still something that Meena was curious about, something that ate away at her mind.

Slowly she reached out her hand over the silky hair that covered his arm, struck breathless by her own daring. When Johnny didn't seem to react or even notice she let out a deep breath and began playing with his hair, smoothing it out before brushing it back in the other direction so that it stuck up at an odd angle. Then she began swirling it around her finger, enjoying the feeling of the individual strands as the brushed against her fingers. She thought to herself that it was truly impossible for him to keep his hair so incredibly soft and she wondered just how he did it.

Meena was pulled from her musings by the loud sound of gunshots coming from the TV and she glanced up at the screen just in time to catch a glance of James Bond escaping from the fight with the backpack in tow. When she looked back to his arm she was surprised to find that Johnny had shifted it slightly closer to her. She raised her eyebrows, smirking slightly when she realized that he had moved his arm closer to her because he liked whatever she was doing.

Meena began swirling her fingers around on his arm and through his hair, playing with those foreign black locks. As she did so she looked up at Johnny's face, wondering what exactly his reaction was to her playing in with his hair. She moved her hand up his arm, swirling her fingers through the hair on his bicep, and watched his face the entire time.

She felt the muscles of his bicep tense under her touch at the same time that his face turned bright red with embarrassment. Meena smirked mischievously and withdrew her hand only to wrap her arm around Johnny's shoulders so that she could bury her fingers in the wild locks on his head.

She felt Johnny's gaze on her face but she ignored him and pretended to watch the movie, all the while running her fingers through his hair. After a few minutes she felt him look back at the screen and relax under her ministrations. Just when he got comfortable she decided to kick it up a notch. She began massaging his head slightly, making him shift up towards her touch. He let out a little satisfied noise when she continued her slow massage, her smirk widening when she saw the way that he leaned towards her touch, barely even paying attention to the movie.

Meena scooted away a few inches, testing to see if he would follow her touch. Johnny immediately followed her, leaning into her until he was lying with his head in her lap, his eyes closed, and her hands buried in his hair. She giggled softly and stroked his chest with her other hand, grinning when she realized exactly what she wanted to do.

It was time for a little revenge on her boyfriend for the incidents that brought them together. Sure she was grateful that her frustration and embarrassment eventually led to them getting together but that didn't mean that she didn't think about getting revenge. All it took was the growing blush on Johnny's face and the way that he leaned into her touch for her to decide the best way to exploit it.

She rubbed his chest, savoring the feel of his hair on her skin before refocusing on her new mission. What used to be curiosity was now turning into a fun little revenge plan. When Johnny was literal mush in her hands, absorbed in the feeling of her playing with his hair while also refusing to look at her out of embarrassment, she made her move.

Right when he got comfortable she stood up and walked over to the kitchen to grab a snack, laving a startled Johnny lying by himself on the cushions. He sat up, his hair messed up and his mouth open as if to ask where she went. Meena made eye contact with him and that was all it took for his blush to resurface and for him to turn back to the movie stiffly.

She walked back over, armed with her glass of water and her determination. Once she settled herself back in the cushions she started the process all over again, luring him down into her lap with her magic fingers before getting up to do various made up tasks. He would always be left feeling bereft and red-faced, wanting more but too nervous to say anything to her about it.

The movie was almost over by the time he finally got fed up with it. Just when she was about to get up his eyes shot open and he grabbed her arm, shooting her a frustrated look. Meena just smiled smugly in response to his look and then raised her eyebrow in confusion.

"Is there something wrong sweetie?" she asked sweetly, batting her big innocent eyes at him. It seemed to faze him for a second before he shook his head and sat up. He cornered her against the arm of the couch and got in her face.

"Ya're drivin' me crazy Meena." he growled and she smiled up at him, letting her hand wander up to his face to gently stroke his hair. He leaned into her touch for a second before gathering himself once more and glaring playfully at her.

"What's yer game Meena?" He growled and Meena let out a little laugh. She leaned up and kissed him gently, getting absorbed in the kiss for a few minutes before pulling back enough to speak against his lips.

"Just a little revenge." she chuckled and he rolled his eyes playfully before diving in for another kiss.

"Ok, ok. I get the point. Just give me a 'eads up next time ya wanna play wif me hair." He smiled good-naturedly.

"Deal. Now c'mere." she pulled him back into another deep kiss and slid her hand up to his hair, resting there as if it was meant to be there


	17. So Think You Can Dance?

Meena could hear the pounding beat of the bass coming through the walls of the club and she nervously looked down at her outfit, smoothing the fabric of her dress nervously. She was wearing a sleeveless dress with a white top and a black skirt with white pleats. She stumbled slighting in her strappy white sandals, quickly regaining her balance so that she could chase after Ash.

"Why are we going to this club again?" she whispered nervously, clutching the faded white clutch that her mother had loaned her. Ash was wearing ripped black and red striped tights, a black leather dress and her combat boots.

"Because we need a night out and Mike has got connections here." Ash rolled her eyes affectionately and grabbed Meena's hand, dragging her towards the door. The impassive gorilla guarding the door held out his clipboard and when he found their names on the list he opened the door and let them past. Meena stared at him nervously as they walked past, almost pleading for him to refuse to let her in, just so that she wouldn't have to brave the club scene. The gorilla gave her a wordless look but eventually he turned back to the crowd and she was dragged inside by Ash.

Immediately she was bombarded by flashing strobe lights and the heavy thud of the beat. The dance floor was completely covered by masses of writhing bodies and various glowing balloons that were being passed around by the patrons. She looked around desperately for the rest of their group and she almost collapsed in relief when she saw Rosita waving at them from a table on the upper level.

Rosita looked radiant in a sparkly red dress with tassels that swirled and shimmered with her every movement. Her husband Norman was wearing his typical brown suit. They were both holding drinks and looked like they were having fun. Meena hurried over to the familiar faces, stumbling slightly over her own heels before sliding to a stop in front of the table.

Rosita blinked slightly in surprise at her sudden entrance but she quickly recovered and put a hand over Meena's.

"I'm so glad you made it!" she yelled over the music and Meena smiled nervously up at her and then looked around in an odd mix of curiosity and fear.

"I've never been in a club before!" she leaned in so that Rosita could hear her voice over the music but her voice was too soft even when she yelled. Rosita just smiled and nodded as if she understood. Ash slid up into a chair and waved down the nearest waiter, ordering a strong drink and a platter of chips.

One by one the rest of the theatre family trickled in and soon their table was packed with drinks and food. Gunter had only lingered at the table long enough to say hi before dashing off to the dance floor where he began displaying his elaborate moves for everyone to see. Everyone else drifted onto the dance floor, even Ash who was properly tipsy and was dancing with a muscular buffalo dressed in all leather. Buster and Eddie were moving along to the beat without really dancing but because of their age it was probably the most appropriate option for them. However, the way that Eddie was downing drinks, Meena was sure that his moves would soon change. She was left alone to babysit everyone's things as well as the food and drinks that crowded the small surface that the table provided.

She was playing a game on her phone when Johnny finally appeared, looking a little rushed but still very handsome. He was wearing black jeans, a white t-shirt with music notes flowing out of a piano and a black suit jacket with its sleeves rolled up. He was looking out at the dance floor when he initially greeted her but when he looked over at her he stopped short.

"'Ey Meena 'ow's it goin…." His eyes widened and he looked her over in a way that made her heart skip a beat in her chest. She offered him a drink menu and he glanced at it before sitting down next to her and turning all of his attention towards her. When the flirty waitress appeared out of nowhere he politely ordered his drink but promptly returned to his conversation with Meena. He was telling her why he was late and how his truck had decided to have a minor breakdown that day and was therefore out of order. Needless to say it was a long walk, skateboard or not.

With her advanced hearing she was able to make out what he said, even with his thick accent, and thankfully she only had to shake her head or laugh at his corny jokes in order to keep up their conversation. The entire time they sipped their drinks and within an hour they had demolished quite a few glasses of mixed drinks. Meena's head was starting to feel kind of light and she was looking at the dance floor with renewed interest. As if reading her mind, Johnny stood and offered her his hand, a lopsided smirk on his face.

"Would ya loike a dance love?" He asked, and to her surprise and his she took his hand and let him lead her out onto the dance floor. Once there she found herself surrounded by dancing strangers and not sure what to do. Despite the alcohol's effects she started to get nervous and looked to Johnny for some kind of guidance on how to act.

When she saw him she nearly burst out laughing, but thankfully held it in. He was dancing passionately and with a huge smile on his face but it was probably some of the worst moves she had ever seen. His arms were flailing without any kind of guidance and his hips were moving contrarily to the rest of his body. Meena's smile grew like a weed and she slowly began moving her body to the beat, trying to keep up with Johnny while not exactly matching his moves.

She spent the rest of the song dancing like there weren't crowds of people around her and she was completely confident in her dance moves. Somehow, Johnny's bad dancing made her feel more comfortable with dancing like she did at home when she was alone at home and singing into her hairbrush. If he could be brave enough to dance like that so could she.

When the song ended, Johnny moved in close to her so that he could speak in her ear without yelling at her. Meena's entire face turned red at his close proximity, and she shivered when his breath tickled her ear in the best way.

"Yer a great dancer." He said and her blush automatically grew deeper and redder. Sure it wasn't much of a compliment coming from someone like him who looked like he was having a seizure on the dance floor but it was still a compliment from a boy, from Johnny.

Just when she looked up at him to attempt a reply the music switched from an energized dance beat to a slow, romantic song. Johnny wrapped an arm around her waist and clasped her hand in his. He slowly swayed them to the beat of the music, not saying a word and not really needing to. While he was awful at dancing on his own, he was a gentle dance partner who new how to follow a beat with a girl in his arms.

It was like his dance skills did a U-turn and Meena decided that she had a lot to learn about the handsome gorilla that was holding her close to his chest. But learning was for another time, because in this moment she laid her head on his shoulder and relaxed happily. He steered her around the dance floor, narrowly missing her toes a couple times before he seemed to get the hang of it.

When the song was over she was reluctant to pull away from his embrace but the DJ had chosen another high-energy song to get the crowd going again. Meena jumped when she was bumped in the head by one of the many balloons that were bouncing around the cramped space, begging for attention. She bumped it away and watched as it hit a motionless Johnny in the head, waking him up from whatever trance that he was caught in. He weakly bumped it away and moved in close to Meena again.

"I'm really glad that you're hat 'ere wif me, " He said in here and they were the only motionless figures in the middle of a mass of moving bodies. "I'm not really the best dancer but 'avin' ya 'ere wif me means that it doesn't matter."

Meena's heart definitely stopped beating.

She looked up at him in awe, surprised that he placed that much value in her company. Johnny began to move again, and this time she followed his every move, mirroring his horrifying dance moves as if she was learning from a master. They sped up at they finally got into the groove and soon they were doing the Sprinkler to each other and pretending to lasso the other with a rope. It was bad, and kind of embarrassing, but they didn't notice because they were having too much fun.

They also didn't notice Ash and Rosita watching them from the table with identical looks of confusion on their faces. Finally Ash chose an opinion on the odd dance that her two best friends were doing. She whipped out her smartphone and began taping their ridiculous moves. As she filmed they moved to a kind of dance off where the moves were getting progressively horrid and complicated.

"I love those two dorks!" She yelled at Rosita who smiled and her face melted into her marveling over their cuteness.

"They're so cute together. It's perfect." She laughed and downed her drink before shimmying down onto the dance floor where Norman was waiting. At the same time the buffalo rocker that she had been dancing with returned with their drinks and some spicy nachos.

"Ok now that's what I call massacring a good song with your dance moves." He chuckled and Ash smirked as she jumped off the stool and down to the ground, the nachos clutched to her chest like a precious prize.

"That's what I call true, horribly dorky love. I can almost guarantee it."


	18. Pesky Fangirls

Another successful show, another whirlwind night and Meena was surrounded by flashing lights and the cheers of her fans. She always got kind of lost in the flurry of butterflies that rose up in her stomach, steadily ascending into a frenzy until she released them with her performance. Meena gave every song her all and this night was no different. The only way to calm the storm of butterflies was for her to sing her heart out, to let her inhibitions fade away in her song and to just be free. As a result she was thoroughly exhausted after the show when Buster insisted that they go out into the lobby to sign autographs and greet the crowd that was waiting there.

Meena hadn't been expecting quite so many people to be waiting for them in the lobby but as soon as they came in through the double doors a great cheer went up as they were immediately mobbed by fans. The sheer volume of people demanding for her attention immediately overwhelmed her. She tried politely to answer all of their questions, but they were so rapid fire that she just ended up backing away in an effort to escape. She jumped slightly when she bumped into the wall and had a sickening realization. Not only had she successfully cornered herself but she had also been separated from her friends and any kind of assistance.

Just when she was starting to feel like she couldn't breathe and the room was closing in around her; her savior arrived in the form of a small but formidable koala. Buster had seen her struggling the moment she walked into the lobby and had worked his way over to her area. He quickly made the eager fans form a line and began coaching her through the autograph signings and interactions with her fans.

She was still shy and quiet but she was having fun making people smile and signing various objects that they thrust at her. After a few hours the crowds were dwindling and Meena was finally free. She nearly collapsed against the wall in relief and looked around to see how her friends were faring.

Ash was packing up her guitar while a few stragglers admired it from afar. Rosita was dashing out the door, calling back about how she needed to be home to tuck her kids into bed. Gunter was leaving, accompanied by a crowd of his admirers and Meena made out that they were headed for some clubs downtown and she felt herself marveling at the fact that he still had the energy to go clubbing right now. Ms. Crawley was ambling back to the stage to start shutting everything down and Eddie had bowed out long ago to pursue his scheduled video game marathon.

Finally there was Johnny who was standing in the middle of the lobby surrounded by a bunch of girls who were fawning over him. The gorilla was too polite to push them off but by his smile Meena could see that he was actually enjoying their attention. There was a beautiful antelope with lots of makeup hanging on his arm, rubbing his bicep through his jacket while a sleek jaguar wrapped her arms around his neck and whispered in his ear. There were a few other girls surrounding him, touching his clothes and gushing over his performance, his looks, his clothes, his hair, everything.

And Johnny was lapping it up.

Meena felt a twinge in her chest as she watched him interact with the girls and suddenly the pleasant feeling that she got from hanging out with her fans was replaced by a cold feeling that seeped into her bones and made her feel like she wanted to throw up. She fumbled around for her stuff and gathered it into her arms haphazardly. She rushed past Ash who was waiting for her with a tired smile on her face. When Meena just rushed past her and burst out of the doors her face morphed into confusion and she gaped after her friend.

A few seconds ago when she had glanced at her to check on her she had been absolutely fine, happy despite how many people she had been exposed to. Ash frowned and looked around for the source of her friend's emotions and frowned when she found exactly what the source was. She stomped over to where Johnny's fan girls were fawning over him and shooed them away rudely, pushing them out the doors. She shoved them out and gave them a glare that made even the most tenacious of the girls hurry away.

Then she turned around and focused her glare on Johnny who had been watching her in confusion. He froze in fear and looked around for help but everyone else was gone and he was alone with a vengeful Ash.

"You idiot!" She pulled him down to her level so that she could slap him upside the head and then shoved him away.

"Wot… why are ya hittin' me?" Johnny asked as he rubbed the back of his head.

"Because you're an idiot and those girls are bimbos. You know that." She pointed at him accusingly and Johnny held up his hands in surrender, hoping to fend off another attack.

"I was just tryin' ter be nice." He shrugged innocently and Ash rolled her eyes.

"Yeah well it sure didn't look like it to me or to Meena." she emphasized her friend's name, giving Johnny a look. He stared back at her in confusion and then looked around for Meena. When she was nowhere to be found his face drained of all color and he looked down in despair.

"Ya mean she thought I fancied all these girls?" He mumbled and Ash nodded, relieved that he finally got it.

"I suggest you go find her and make this up to her before she does something drastic. That is if you ever wanna ask her out." She winked at Johnny who turned bright red and smiled shyly.

"Thanks Ash." He said as he dashed out the doors of the theatre to his car. Ash threw her guitar case over her shoulder and began her short walk home, mumbling to herself about oblivious gorillas and sensitive elephants.

The whole bus ride home Meena stared at the stylish bunny posing for a makeup ad on the wall of the bus. She was thin, had on lots of beautiful makeup and was dressed in clothes that Meena never even thought about wearing. She was the ideal woman and until now Meena hadn't realized just how far she fell short of those ideals. She spent the rest of the bus ride comparing herself to the bunny model on the ad. When she finally got home she crossed the street and hurried into her room, trying to be as quiet as possible because her family members were asleep in their beds.

Once she slipped into her room she wandered over to her closet and examined her clothes distastefully. Suddenly the t-shirts and jeans that she usually wore weren't flattering and everything made her look fat. Even the dress that she had worn for her performance, a beautiful A-line dress with a lace top, suddenly emphasized all of the wrong features. She pulled it off hastily and slipped into her fluffy pajama pants and a tank top. Meena threw the dress into her closet in distaste and walked over to the full-length mirror that was propped up in one corner of her room.

She examined herself critically, breaking down every flaw that didn't seem to match up to the woman that Johnny wanted. She wasn't tiny and sleek, or skinny by any means, she didn't dress in tight clothes or short skirts, and there wasn't one ounce of makeup on her face unless it was a very special occasion. She turned away from the mirror, feeling confused and upset, and knowing that she could never look like those girls that hung onto Johnny and looked so beautiful. She laid down on her bed with a sigh and sniffled, trying desperately to keep the tears at bay, despite how they insisted on breaking free and running down her face.

She was reaching over to turn off the lamp on her bedside table when there was a light rapping on her window. She nearly fell off of the bed in surprise and looked at the window in confusion as if she was imagining the noises. But the knocking came again and she was too curious to turn out her light and ignore it. She picked up a hairbrush as a weapon and inched cautiously towards the window. She threw it open and thrust out her brush in what was supposed to be a threatening manner. Much to her surprise, it was Johnny standing outside her window and holding his hands up in surrender.

"Daan't shoot." He chuckled nervously and Meena quickly put down the brush, her cheeks coloring slightly with embarrassment.

"Johnny what are you doing here?" she whispered, looking back at her door nervously. If her mother or her grandparents caught her talking to a boy this late at night she was dead meat.

"I wanted ter clear up somethin' that I think ya might have been upset by." He sheepishly kicked at the grass, looking at the ground momentarily before looking back into her eyes.

"Oh I-I don't know what you're-" Meena fiddled with the hem of her pajama shirt and looked anywhere but back at Johnny.

"Yer ten times prettier than any of those girls tonight." Johnny just blurted out and Meena was struck silent, gaping slightly at him.

"I kna that ya thought I was flirtin' wif those girls but I was just tryin' ta be polite." he said earnestly and Meena could see that he spoke the truth in the way that his gaze held hers and he gripped the windowsill.

 _Beauty queen of only eighteen_

 _She had some trouble with herself_

"Y-you don't have to say that I'm pretty Johnny." She looked down in shame, her own self-consciousness getting in the way of her happiness that he hadn't been flirting with those other girls.

"Wot are ya talkin' bout Meena?" He looked confused and slightly worried and Meena couldn't help but spill out the angry, unhappy thoughts that had been eating away at her self esteem since she saw him with those girls.

 _He was always there to help her_

 _She always belonged to someone else_

"I don't wear any of that pretty makeup and I don't wear any clothes like those other girls do and I know I'm not thin or small or even attractive. You don't have to lie to me." She dissolved into tears and Johnny quickly climbed through her window to pull her into his strong embrace, cradling her against his solid chest.

 _I drove for miles and miles and would up at your door_

 _I've had you so many times_

 _But somehow I want more_

"Meena," He whispered and she looked up at him, her eyes red from crying and her cheeks stained with tear tracks, "Ya are the most beautiful girl in the world." Meena tried to protest but he put a finger to her lips and kept talking in that low, soothing whisper, never releasing her from his embrace.

 _I don't mind spending every day_

 _Out on your corner in the pouring rain_

"None of those things; makeup, clothes, and body shape, none of those matter ter me. That's not wot makes ya beautiful." He leaned closer and rested his forehead against hers, making sure that she couldn't look away from him as he pulled the words out of his heart.

 _Look for the girl with the broken smile_

 _Ask her is she wants to stay awhile_

"Ya are beautiful cause ya have a smile that loights up a room and makes me want ta smile too." He took her hand in his and squeezed lightly, giving her a physical manifestation of his presence and his words.

"Ya are beautiful cause yer laugh is loike pure sunshine and it's infectious as hell." Meena let out a little giggle which made Johnny's smile widen

"Ya are beautiful cause when ya sing I can't hear anyone else."

"Ya are beautiful cause-" Meena cut him off by putting a finger to his lips and listening intently for any movement in the house. When nothing moved for a few seconds she turned back to Johnny, her eyes glistening with happiness and gratitude instead of tears.

"Yer beautiful cause yer Meena." He whispered in her ear and hugged her tight, "And na pesky fangirl is evah gonna outshine ya."

"Thank you Johnny." Meena whispered and returned his tight hug for a few minutes before finally pulling away and glancing at the still open window. "You should go. It's late."

Johnny climbed carefully out the window and Meena leaned out the windowsill to say goodbye to him. To her shock and utter joy he leaned forward and kissed her cheek ever so gently before winking at her and running off to where his truck was parked.

She felt beautiful.

 _And she will be loved_

 _She will be loved._


	19. Glasses

Johnny woke up slowly to a blurry world, which he could never quite get into focus on his own. He slowly got up off of the pillow nest on their living room floor and shuffled carefully to the bathroom. No matter how hard he tried he couldn't make out the details of the blurry shapes on the floor so he carefully stepped over each one, praying that he wouldn't fall over something and wake the two girls sleeping in his living room. He and Ash had decided to have a movie night in their new apartment and of course Meena, Johnny's girlfriend and Ash's best friend, had joined them. Since he was just now waking up and they had all been cuddled on the floor moments ago he assumed that they had fallen asleep some time during the night without turning off the TV or going to their respective beds.

Johnny finally made his way to his bathroom and fumbled through the objects on the counter, feeling them until he found the one that he had been looking for: his box of contacts. He shook the box slightly and groaned aloud when there was no noise from inside. He was out of fresh contacts and without some kind of help he was essentially blind. He opened the medicine cabinet and began digging through it as quietly as he could in an effort to find his worst enemy. His fingers brushed the glass lenses and he triumphantly pulled his glasses out from their hiding place. He took a deep breath, slowly slid them on over his face and looked up at the mirror.

The glasses were kind of chunky, black, and a little outdated for his prescription, but they did the job and he now saw his face in the mirror rather than the shapeless black blob that had been there before. He frowned at his reflection and tried adjusting the glasses so that they would look better. He spent close to ten minutes trying to adjust them but no matter how he placed them they still looked dorky and out of place on his face. He almost considered taking them off and just going blind today but he eventually resolved himself to wearing them. With a sigh he walked out of the bathroom and into the living room where his companions were still deep in sleep. Ash had created a little nest for her self and was currently spooning one of the couch pillows. Meena was curled up in his vacant spot, sleeping peacefully with a little smile on her face.

Johnny shuffled sleepily into the kitchen and opened up the fridge, looking through it for something to eat. Neither he nor Ash could cook to save their lives so they mostly stuck to takeout and microwave meals but every now and then Meena would get sick of pizza and bring over some ingredients and cook up a real meal for them. Unfortunately, Ash had devoured the rest of their leftovers the day before for lunch so their fridge was relatively empty of food. He looked down at his pajama pants and tank top and decided that it was much too early for him to care about how he looked.

Johnny grabbed a sweatshirt and was in the middle of pulling it over his head when he heard movement from the living room. He froze with the sweatshirt half pulled over his head and stood in the hallway, waiting to see if he had been caught. His stomach sank to his knees when Meena's voice came from a few feet in front of him.

"Johnny?" Her voice sounded sleepy, but he knew that once she woke up she was awake for the rest of the day so there was no chance that he could get her to go back to bed, "Where are you going?"

"To the shop. We're aht of… well we're aht of food." He let out an embarrassed chuckle and began struggling with his sweatshirt again, hoping against hope that she wouldn't notice his glasses. He heard the tinkling of his keys and Meena's voice came closer.

"I'll come with you." She walked over and gave his sweatshirt a tug, making it pop down over his head and sending his glasses askew on his face, "I'll get some stuff for pancakes and…" she trailed off when she caught sight of his glasses.

They stood frozen, staring each other down. Meena was standing there in her untied sneakers, pajama pants and tank top, her eyes glued to his eyes or rather his glasses, and he was frozen in embarrassment, his cheeks coloring slightly as he waited for her reaction. After a few minutes of silence, Meena's cheeks began turning red and she finally blurted out what she had been dying to ask.

"A-are those glasses?" She asked nervously, still unable to pull her gaze away from them.

"Yep. Better get garn. Daan't wanna keep Ash waitin." His words came out in a rush and he hurried out the door, trying desperately to escape the embarrassing encounter.

"But… Ash is still asleep…" Meena mumbled to herself, her brow furrowing in confusion before she noticed that she had the keys and raced after Johnny. When she caught up to him he was waiting by the car, his hands shoved in his hoody and his foot tapping nervously on the sidewalk. She tossed him the keys and as soon as he caught them he was unlocking the vehicle and hopping in. He waited as Meena hurried around to the other side of the car and hopped into the passenger side, and then fired up the engine and started the short drive to the grocery store.

They sat in silence for most of the drive, Johnny fretting the whole way about what Meena thought about his glasses. The tension continued to mount and when he pulled into the parking spot at the grocery store, Johnny reached his breaking point. He just had to know what Meena was thinking or he was going to explode. She was his girlfriend for god's sake; her opinion mattered more than anyone else's.

"Meena." he said, stopping her from getting out of the car. She jumped slightly when he broke the silence between them and nervously began to wring her hands. She had never seen him this nervous before, even when he asked her out, and she wasn't sure what exactly it meant. Had she done something wrong last night? Did he want her to go home? Was he going to break up with her? She immediately began to panic ad pulled her ears in close to her face to protect her from his words.

"Be honest. Wot…wot do ya think of me glasses?" He gulped and held the steering wheel in a death grip, needing something to ground him in that moment. Meena, who had been freaking out about nothing actually relaxed at his question and let out a relieved sigh.

"Oh Johnny… I think, well I think that they're r-really cute." She stuttered out and her face turned red again.

Johnny sat there in shock for a second, absorbing her words and running them over and over again in his head until he was sure that there was no other way to interpret them. Meena liked his glasses; she thought he looked cute in them. His heart fluttered in his chest and in that moment he remembered just why he was going out with Meena. He leaned over and took her hand in his, giving it a little affectionate kiss.

"Thanks love." He squeezed her hand and her blush began to fade a little bit as she regained her confidence and her heart stopped trying to beat out of her chest. She reached over and adjusted his glasses slightly so that they sat straight on his face in the adorable way that made her breath catch in her throat. Johnny chuckled and leaned forward, kissing her gently on the mouth before pulling back and hopping out of the truck, a new spring in his step as a result of her sweet words.

Meena followed him into the store and they walked around filling the basket with ingredients for a pancake and egg breakfast as well as a few other essentials that Meena insisted that they needed. Most importantly, the picked up new contacts for Johnny, because despite Meena's kind words he still wasn't a big fan of the glasses. Although now he wasn't afraid to wear them around Meena if he needed to, she definitely wouldn't mind. The whole time they were holding hands and exchanging smiles as Meena admired his glasses and Johnny admired that happy look in her eye. Once they got to the register they paid in exact change with crumpled dollar bills and coins like any other rising musician still trying to be frugal. The checkout lady raised her eyebrow at them and Johnny grinned while Meena shrugged nervously. Once they had paid they hurried back home and Meena began work on breakfast while Johnny slipped into the bathroom to put in his contacts and hide his glasses once more.

He sighed in relief when he looked at himself in the mirror and he was once more free of the glasses of doom. He pulled off his sweatshirt now that they were home and went about making Ash's coffee. He had learned within a few days of living with Ash that if there wasn't coffee ready when she woke up she was almost scary in her level of grumpiness. The coffee was ready just as Meena finished flipping the pancakes and started loading up plates for everyone. Johnny brought out Ash's coffee and her food as an offering while Meena followed him with their plates. Cautiously Johnny set the coffee mug down next to Ash and set her plate on the tale behind her. A few seconds after he set the mug down her small hand shot out and pulled it in close to her mouth so she could take her first sip of the life-giving nectar.

As she slowly awakened, Meena and Johnny settled next to each other and turned on the morning cartoons as they ate. It was as if the glasses incident had never happened, but when Johnny looked over and caught Meena staring at him once more he knew that it wouldn't be the last time. Until then it would remain their little secret he mused and then leaned over to pepper Meena's freckled cheeks with kisses.


	20. Baking Disaster

"Meena I need yer 'elp." Johnny begged her as they walked out of the theatre, heading home for the day. Meena looked at him in surprise but she wasn't the kind of animal to refuse helping someone else if they needed her help.

"Sure, I mean of course Johnny what do you need?" She adjusted the strap of her backpack so that it was positioned somewhere a bit more comfortable on her back.

Johnny nervously scuffed the bottom of his sneaker on the sidewalk and looked down in embarrassment. The men in his family weren't prone to admitting to weakness, let alone asking for help, but this was important and he was determined to change that stigma.

"I need 'elp wif bakin'…for me dad." He said quietly and Meena nodded pensively, trying to find a time she could help him bake something. She was off this Saturday and she had pretty much the whole day free to help Johnny bake whatever he wanted.

"Sounds good, I mean great, what are we baking?" She smiled eagerly. She loved to bake and cook, pretty much anything in the kitchen and if Johnny was involved it made it even better. The crush that she had on him had been steadily growing as their friendship developed and was now a full-fledged crush. He made her more flustered than usual when he spoke to her and she was increasingly clumsier when he was around. Of course she was too shy to admit her feelings or even flirt with him and somehow she had convinced herself that he was way out of her league and she didn't stand a chance.

"A cake. It's fer me dad's birthday party this weekend. It's 'is first party since 'e got aht of prison and I wanna make it special." He smiled earnestly and Meena couldn't stop herself from blushing just at the sheer happiness that came off of him as he talked about his plans for his dad's birthday.

"If ya 'elp me I'll be in yer debt forever." He pleaded and Meena pulled her ears in close to her head in an effort to hide her growing blush.

"Oh you don't n-need to do that J-Johnny." She stuttered out and barely missed tripping over the slightly uneven pavement, "Y-you can um, come over to my place on S-Saturday and we'll get started." Johnny's smile got wider when she agreed and they stopped in front of his truck.

"The party starts at six on Saturday so we'll need ter be done by then." Johnny opened the passenger side door of his truck and gestured for her to get in.

"'Owabaht I give ya a ride home? It's the least I can do, and that way I can figure aht where ya live fer Saturday." He offered kindly and Meena glanced at her usual bus stop where her usual bus was just pulling away. The next bus wasn't due to arrive for another half an hour and it was starting to get pretty chilly. She glanced back at Johnny's warm and fast truck and knew that there wasn't really a choice here. Despite how nervous being alone with Johnny made her, she couldn't turn down his generous offer.

"Oh! Uh thanks Johnny, I'd love to." Johnny opened the door for her and held out his hand to help her into the truck. Using his hand to balance her, Meena got into the truck and settled into the seat. Johnny shut the door behind her and hurried around to the driver's side. He turned on the truck and began driving towards Meena's neighborhood as per Meena's instructions. When he pulled up to her house he shut off the truck and admired the small, welcoming yellow house.

"Thanks Johnny." Meena said shyly as she got out of his truck. Johnny jumped out of the truck and leaned against it as he waited for her to walk around towards the house. He leaned against the door of the truck; his hands shoved in his jeans pockets. Meena stopped to thank him again and Johnny gently pulled her into a hug.

Meena froze in shock, hyperventilating internally when she realized that Johnny was hugging her. She brought her arms up slowly and gently hugged Johnny back, patting his back comfortingly. All the while she marveled at the face that Johnny was holding her in his strong arms, voluntarily. Slowly Johnny started to pull away and she quickly pulled back, trying not to seem clingy. Meena immediately pulled her ears in close to her face to hide the blush that was forming on her cheeks. She squeaked out a goodbye and then dashed up the walk and into her house. She slammed the door closed behind her and leaned against it heavily, her heart still pounding like a drum in her chest. If she couldn't even handle a hug how was she going to handle spending an entire day baking with him?

Saturday arrived faster than she thought it would, even though every day leading up to it seemed to last an eternity. She awoke early that morning and took the bus to the grocery store to get supplies. It was only when she got to the store did she realize that she didn't know what flavor of cake they were making. She whipped out her old flip phone and quickly texted Johnny as she wandered around the store and got basic ingredients that would be needed for any flavor. When she had gotten all of the ingredients except for the flavor and Johnny still hadn't texted back she sat in the frozen aisle staring hopefully at her phone, praying that she wouldn't have to call him.

But her hope was fruitless and she shakily dialed his number, coaching herself to steady her voice and control her breathing so she didn't sound like a desperate stalker. Johnny answered on the last ring much to her relief. His voice was husky and heavy with sleep, which made Meena's breath catch in her throat.

"Meena? Did I ovah sleep?" He asked and his jaw-cracking yawn echoed through the phone speaker. Meena tried to speak but nothing came out except for a nervous cough and her hands started shaking vigorously.

"N-n-no! No that's not- I mean um… what flavor for the cake?" She sputtered nervously, finally forcing out the words that she wanted to say. The other line went silent as Johnny sleepily sorted through the words that she said.

"Oh…oh! The bleedin' flavor! Yeah. Me dad loves chocolate. Lots of chocolate." He seemed to lose energy as he spoke and sounded nearly asleep when he had finished talking. Meena decided that was all the information that she needed to she took a deep breath and breathed out her goodbyes in one breath.

"Okthanksbye!" She rushed out and pressed the 'end call' button almost violently and rushed to the baking aisle to find cocoa powder. She grabbed two packages and hurried to the checkout, praying that she could be home as soon as possible.

She just caught the bus back to her house and arrived just in time to kiss her mom goodbye and she headed off to the lunch shift at the diner. Her mom jumped in her grandparents' old car and drove away with a cough of the engine and a honk of the horn.

Meena headed into the kitchen and got out all of the ingredients for chocolate cake and chocolate frosting. After she double-checked that she had enough of everything she set it aside and started on breakfast for her grandparents. She made a fresh pot of oatmeal and then prepared two bowls for her grandparents. She put it on a tray for her grandparents and brought it upstairs to their bed where they were both sitting up and talking. Meena set the tray on the bed with a smile, gave her grandfather his newspaper and gave her grandmother a kiss on her cheek.

Just as she was returning downstairs with the tray there was a knocking at the front door. She hurriedly put the tray on the table and ran to the door. She stopped just in front of it, smoothed her clothes, took a deep breath, and then opened the front door.

Johnny was waiting patiently on the other side of the door with a large energy drink and a smile. She smiled and gestured for him to come in, trying to seem calm while her heart was trying to pound out of her chest.

She closed the door, released the deep breath that she had taken and breathed normally once more. She turned around and led Johnny to the kitchen, ducking under the doorway and turning around to see his reaction to the room.

He was smiling and looking around with wide eyes, admiring the family photos, knick-knacks, and well used dishes. "Ya 'ave a great house Meena." He said as he finished off his energy drink and tossed it into her trashcan.

"Th-thanks." She gestured to where she had laid out their supplies and began organizing them in a way that Johnny could understand.

"So um… first we put the dry ingredients in the mixing bowl." She slowly got into the groove of baking, watching Johnny carefully as he measured out the exact ingredients and added them to her mixing bowl. Once everything had been added she handed him her trusty hand mixer and went to double check the recipe on the amount of vanilla. She heard the mixer turn on but in the next moment Johnny and the area around him was covered in a white and brown powder.

Meena froe and Johnny looked at her in shock, the hand mixer still set to the highest setting and spraying him with waves of powdered ingredients. Meena snorted in the effort to keep her laughter at bay but Johnny had no such reservations. He began laughing loud and long, his laughter echoed throughout the kitchen. Meena couldn't hold back her giggles any more and joined him in laughter, leaning heavily against the counter when her giggles made her weak in the knees.

After a few minutes of uncontrollable laughter and continued overzealous mixing of the dry ingredients Meena reached over and turned off the hand mixer. She walked over to Johnny and affectionately brushed as much powder as she could out of his dark hair, but despite her best efforts he still looked like the ghost of Johnny rather than his usual self.

"I think this time we should use the low setting on the mixer." She joked and began measuring out a new batch of dry ingredients which she hoped wouldn't end up all over her kitchen.

"Ya think?" Johnny laughed and examined the hand mixer with a wary look

This time they made it to the liquid form of the batter before catastrophe struck once more. Johnny was mixing steadily and Meena was greasing the cake pan when the hand mixer decided that it was time for its time on this Earth to come to an end. It suddenly sped up and shot better all over Meena, splattering every inch of her while she stood there, eyes closed and mouth slightly agape.

The hand mixer finally began to smoke and spark, making Johnny drop it into the bowl where it began spraying batter all over the cabinets and the floor. After a few seconds of a mechanical tantrum it died with a loud whining noise. Johnny was taking cover behind the counter while Meena just stared at her beloved hand mixer in horror.

"Does this 'appen every time ya bake?" Johnny asked tentatively, trying to make light of the situation. Meena laughed and wiped batter off of her face and tasted it. At the least they had made the batter correctly and for that she was grateful.

"No. Only with you." Meena giggled and Johnny's smile took on a flirty quality. He walked over to her, slipping slightly in the mess on the floor. Johnny reached up and wiped some batter off her cheek, tasting it sensually.

"At least it tastes good." He smirked and Meena tried to gulp in shock, but her throat had suddenly gone dry.

"Th-that's um.. I was just… th-thinking that." She stuttered, her earlier confidence disappearing in an instant. Johnny winked at her and then looked at their mess on the counter.

"Is there any way we can make the cake wifaht the bloody mixer?" He asked and Meena shook herself, pulling her thoughts away from the way he had eaten batter off of her face and back to their task. Rather than be discouraged she was even more determined to make the cake for Johnny's dad.

"Yeah! Um I mean we can d-do it by hand. It'll just take longer." She grabbed another bowl and Johnny began loading up the ingredients for the third time. It took them a little bit longer but they finally got the cake in the oven and began work on the frosting. The mess from before had just been pushed to the side in the interest of time and while Meena took the cake out of the oven Johnny was mixing the frosting and putting some in a frosting bag.

Once the cake was cool enough Johnny stepped back to let Meena do her magic with decorating. Meena was fast but efficient and the cake was quickly starting to look professional despite the battle it had been to create it. Meena added the last flourish of frosting and stepped back to admire her handiwork. She turned around to ask Johnny what he thought and found him staring at her with a dreamy little smile on his face.

"Johnny?" She nervously clutched the empty frosting bag and he jumped up form the counter he was leaning on to inspect the case.

"It's perfect." he grinned and pulled Meena into a messy, sticky hug. Neither of them minded the mixing messes and Meena just appreciated being back in Johnny's embrace. The embrace lasted longer this time before she finally looked up and noticed the time on the clock.

"Johnny we're late!" She gasped and pulled away hurriedly to grab the cake and put it into a safe container. Johnny stood there for a few seconds, shocked at her sudden breakaway before leaping into action and grabbing his keys. He leaned forward and kissed her on the cheek gratefully, shocking her to her very core.

"I'll get the car ya grab the cake!" he called as he ran out to start the truck. Meena was running after him dazedly when she stopped and considered the horrifying mess that they had made of the kitchen and themselves. She stared longingly at the mess and then the clock before running after Johnny.

 _I am so dead when mom gets home._


	21. Just A Little Cold

Meena was in the middle of helping her grandma make her special homemade soup for lunch when her phone buzzed for the first time. It was her first time making the soup without any help so she was simultaneously nervous and excited. Deciding that she didn't need the distraction, she ignored the insistent vibrations and continued adding ingredients to the pot.

Twenty minutes later she turned the burner down low so that the soup could simmer and stepped back so her grandma could do a taste test. Her phone was vibrating almost constantly now but she was too nervous about her grandmother's inspection to worry about what was happening. She watched with bated breath as her grandma sipped the soup and considered the taste with a pensive look on her face.

"Meena this soup…" she trailed off and for a second Meena's heart dropped to the floor in despair, under the impression that she had ruined it, "…Is perfect!"

Meena broke out into a million watt smile and she embraced her grandma in a tight hug. Her grandma patted her back gently and reached into the pocket of her dress to pull out a faded and wrinkled recipe card. She handed it to Meena and patted her cheek lovingly.

"This is yours now." She whispered and Meena nodded solemnly before giving her grandma another hug. Their moment was interrupted when Meena's phone began to ring. She picked it up and frowned in confusion when she saw that it was Ash who was calling her.

"Hello?" She answered the phone as she stirred the soup.

"Meena! Thank God. Why didn't you answer when I texted you?!" Ash sounded frantic and extremely annoyed which made Meena a little nervous.

"I'm s-sorry Ash I was cooking- I mean doing s-something important." She stumbled over her words in an effort to appease Ash's temper.

"Ok well I need you to come over to our apartment right now. Lover Boy is sick and he's driving me INSANE." She groaned and there were muffled sounds of movement from the other side of the line. Meena lost her grip on the spoon she was using to stir the soup and all of her attention zeroed in on her phone.

"Wait what? How sick is he? Do we need to take him to the hospital?!" Her anxiety skyrocketed and she began to pace her kitchen, waiting for Ash to answer her barrage of questions.

"Calm down Meena, take deep breaths. The big baby just caught a nasty cold and he keeps asking for you and then telling me not to worry you. So I decided I don't want to babysit him anymore and I called you." Meena took a deep breath a released it, relief coursing through her veins like a tidal wave. She sagged against the counter when her legs decided to get wobbly as the relief washed over her.

"So…. can you come over?" Ash asked when Meena didn't say anything in response to her rant.

"Yes! I mean of course I can. I'll be over in a few minutes." She hung up and grabbed a large container from her cupboard and began scooping her freshly made soup into it. Once it was full she stole a few boxes of tissues, a stack of random movies, and her softest blanket. After stuffing everything into a duffle bag she opened the door to dash out to the bus stop and immediately skidded to a halt when she was confronted with a torrent of rain.

Without her noticing a blanket of dark grey clouds had covered their city and were releasing their contents down at that very moment. She hurried back inside, put on a raincoat and then grabbed her favorite umbrella. Now fully prepared for the weather she once again exited the house and ran across the street to the bus stop to wait for the weekend bus.

Twenty minutes later she arrived in front of Ash and Johnny's apartment building. She used her spare key to get in and rushed up the stairs to the third floor where they lived. Meena caught her breath for a second before reaching up and knocking gently on the hard wooden surface of the door.

"Meena. Come in." Ash growled from

"How many times do we have to tell you that it's okay for you to just come in without knocking?" She sighed, her bad mood abating slightly at the sight of her relief. Meena shrugged and smiled, adjusting the strap of her bag on her shoulder.

"About a million more times." she joked and Ash chuckled briefly before jerking her thumb in the direction of the living room.

"He's stationed in there. I'm heading to the theatre to get some song writing done in peace." With that she picked up her guitar case and bag and walked out the door that Meena had just come through. Meena shook her head fondly and then tiptoed into the living room. The sight that met her eyes was probably the most pathetic thing that she had ever seen.

The floor was littered with used tissues and empty tissue boxes and the TV was showing a rerun of _Friends_ that they had both seen at least a million times. The couch had been turned into a nest made up of every blanket that they owned. In the very center, curled up in a little ball was Johnny. His eyes were half-open and watery, his nose was red and a constant stream of mucus was flowing out of it, his entire body was shaking with the intense shivers that ran up and down his form, and he looked completely exhausted.

Meena shook her head and felt a pang of sympathy run through her chest when she saw the state that he was in. She set down her bag and began unloading her supplies, preparing herself to spend the day taking care of her boyfriend. First she grabbed a garbage bag from the kitchen and began carefully placing each dirty tissue into it. Once the room was cleaned she tied off the trash bag and grabbed a new one for future tissues. When she opened the bag she startled Johnny awake and he stared at her in surprise, finally registering that she was there.

"Meena? Wot 're ya doin' 'ere?" His nose was so stuffed up that, combined with his accent, he was barely understandable. Thankfully Meena was able to pick out what he was saying through both obstacles.

"I'm here to take care of you silly." She giggled at his bewildered look and took the issue boxes out of the bag, placing them at strategic places all around the room. Johnny watched her in a relative silence that was occasionally broken by his pathetic sniffles. Meena then took out the soup and put it on the coffee table in front of Johnny. She put the first movie of the ones that she brought into the DVD player and went back to where Johnny was curled up on the couch watching her. Finally she took off her rain jacket and climbed into the blanket nest he had created, her fluffiest blanket in tow.

"Ya kna ya daan't 'ave ter do this." He mumbled even as he cuddled into Meena, allowing her to position him so that he was lying with his head in her lap and hi body under her fluffy, pleasantly warm blanket.

"Shhh." She hushed his protests and began lovingly stroking his hair in the most soothing way. He immediately melted into her touch and cuddled up to her as close as he could, absorbing her warmth.

On the screen the opening scene of

"This whole weddin' is a shit sha." He scoffed as the drama began to unfold onscreen. Meena gasped in shock and just shook her head as she watched the surprising scene that was happening onscreen.

"What a twist." She murmured and she could almost feel Johnny rolling his eyes from his position in her lap but he remained silent. When the movie was over Johnny sat up slowly and eyed the tub of soup that she had brought him. It had been innocently sitting on the coffee table waiting to be noticed.

"Wot's that?" he sniffled and Meena wordlessly got up and went to the kitchen to grab bowls and spoons. She served out the soup into the bowls and then sat down, waiting for Johnny to try his with a nervous smile on her face. Her grandma had liked it but that didn't mean that Johnny would like it to.

Contrary to her fears, Johnny's face lit up as soon as he swallowed his first spoonful. He devoured two bowls of soup before he was satisfied and began curling back up on the couch. Meena got up, a proud grin on her face, and washed their dishes quickly. When she returned to the couch Johnny had completely stolen her fluffy blanket and was looking up at her with his best innocent look. Meena rolled her eyes and settled back on the couch, deciding to give him her best pouting look so she could reclaim at least some of her blanket. Johnny immediately caved and shifted the blanket so that they were both comfortably cuddled underneath it.

"That was amazin' Meena." He murmured, his voice scratchy and heavily stuffed. Even as sick as he was he would never miss an opportunity to compliment Meena. She blushed and kissed his cheek ever so gently. His eyes closed and he smiled in appreciation then cuddled up to her, trying to get comfortable.

"Thanks Johnny." She said softly as she adjusted the blanket to

Once they had settled in and Johnny was once more in a position where Meena could stroke his hair Meena started their next movie, _The Proposal._ Johnny seemed more awake throughout this movie since it was more of a comedy and catered towards men as well as women. Despite his own interest in the movie he was starting to doe when the movie ended. Meena was using some of the tissues that she brought over to dab her eyes. The end of the movie had finally gotten to her and a few tears had broken through.

When she got up to change the movie Johnny just plopped his head down on the couch and watched her while coughs wracked his body. Meena froze and watched him with concern. When he calmed down she went to the bathroom and grabbed a bottle of Nyquil to give him. She had to wrestle with him for a minute before she finally got the bitter liquid down his throat. He gagged and looked at her with pure betrayal in his brown eyes but Meena just kissed his warm forehead in response and went to finish changing out the DVD.

When she came back she settled into a new position where she was reclining and his head was laying in her lap. As the opening credits of _27 Dresses_ rolled across the screen he turned his head to look up at her, not even pretending to watch the movie.

"I'm prolly gonna fall asleep na." He whispered and mustered up what little energy he had to give her a wink. Meena giggled and stroked his face lovingly, an affectionate smile gracing her face. The medicine was taking its effect, making him sleepy and a little bit loopy.

"I think that's a good idea." She whispered back as if they were telling each other secrets in the empty apartment.

"Yer beautiful." He whispered again, his lopsided smirk looking a little bit out of place with his red eyes and runny nose. Even though he definitely looked sick, Meena couldn't resist his charms and her face immediately turned bright red.

"I think it's time fro you to go to sleep." She breathed out and giggled when he let out a huge yawn in response, "I think that decides it. Go to sleep sweetie." She massaged his aching head with her strong hands and he closed his eyes in happiness. Just when she thought he had gone to sleep his eyes shot back open and he stared gratefully up at her.

"Thanks for takin' care of me love. You're the bloody best girlfriend in the whole world." Meena giggled when he threw up his hands to emphasize his point, waving them around wildly. She grabbed them in her own hands and brought them up so that she could kiss each finger before setting them back down in a comfortable position for him to sleep in.

"You're welcome Johnny. Now sleep. For me?" Johnny nodded solemnly as if she had given him a secret mission and settled down, closing his eyes ever so slowly.

"For ya." He whispered as he dozed off and fell into a healing sleep. Meena watched most of the movie but without Johnny to occupy her the call of sleep rung in her head. Just as the movie was coming to a climax she zonked out, her hand in Johnny's hair and head lolling to the side.

When Ash came home hours later, the TV was replaying _27 Dresses_ for the third time and her two friends were sleeping peacefully on the couch. She stole a bowl of soup for herself and headed to her room to quarantine herself. It was a good thing Johnny had Meena to take care of him because if it had been up to Ash he would be locked in his room and quarantined until he was healthy again.

"Men are such babies." she growled to herself and strummed her guitar, "It's just a little cold."


	22. Poker Night

" 'Re ya sure abaht this?" Johnny stopped Meena just outside the doors of the garage and looked her up and down. Her hands were shaking slightly and her ears were pulled in close to her head. She was wearing high-waisted black shorts, a plain white t-shirt and a sleeveless jean jacket that made her look casual but totally adorable.

"I got this. I can do this." Meena chanted to herself even though her palms were sweaty and her stomach was doing little flips that made her want to throw up.

"It's not too late. We can just go ter the bloomin' movies or summit." Johnny tried to soothe her, gesturing to the truck that was sitting only a few feet away. He reached down and took Meena's hand in his own, squeezing it once to show his support.

"Ya daan't 'ave ter do this." He tried again and Meena looked longingly back at the safety of the truck. For a moment she considered running away with Johnny in tow, but that thought disappeared as soon as it was born. She shook her head as if to dispel any thoughts of escape and steeled her resolve.

"No. I need to do this. I can handle anything they can dish out." She took a deep breath and nodded to Johnny who gave her a nod in return and opened the door to the garage.

Meena blinked, adjusting to the dim lighting of the garage and tightened her grip on Johnny's hand. In response his thumb began slowly rubbing the back of her hand in a soothing manner.

She had been in the garage a million times, but this was her first time hanging out with Johnny's family. His father and uncles had been recently released from prison and almost immediately they had insisted on meeting Johnny's new girlfriend. Johnny had immediately been terrified considering that his family members were big personalities and could be a lot to handle even for him. His father had been insistent nonetheless so he had invited Meena to their poker night.

A large card table had been set up in the center of the main room where the couch usually was. The TV had been set to the local baseball game and there were chips and dip set out on the table. Johnny was actually surprised at how put together the room looked and for once he felt optimistic about how the night was going to go. His hopes were quickly dashed when a crashing sound came from the kitchen and then his uncles Barry and Donovan came barreling out of the kitchen, yelling and wrestling with each other.

Meena recoiled slightly and took cover behind Johnny, her hand gripping his tightly as her anxiety skyrocketed. Johnny rolled his eyes at his uncles' behavior and opened his mouth to say something but his father beat him to it. Marcus, aka Big Daddy burst out of the kitchen wearing a dirty, burnt apron and brandishing his fists as weapons.

"Ya two better knock that shit off before I come over there and finish it for ya. The bloomin' kids will be 'ere soon and I daan't wanna them ter clock any of this shit!" He roared and Barry and Donovan immediately stopped fighting and began dusting themselves off.

"Um… 'Ey effrybody." Johnny called out and they all froze in the middle of what they were doing. Donovan and Barry were looking nervously from Johnny and Meena to Big Daddy. Big Daddy turned to Donny and Barry and jerked his thumb, gesturing for them to get into the kitchen. They waved to Johnny and Meena as they scrambled into the kitchen. As soon as they disappeared Big Daddy turned around to follow them but Johnny stopped him.

"Dad? Did ya… make dinner?" He asked, raising an eyebrow in surprise. Big Daddy had never cooked a meal in his life; Johnny wasn't even sure where he got that apron. Big Daddy looked down at his apron as if just realizing that he still had it on and then casually looked back into the kitchen. As if making a decision he ripped the apron off like it was nothing and tossed it in the garbage.

"Nah. We're 'aving pizza." He chuckled nervously and his face turned a little red. Meena hid her smile behind her hand, touched that he had tried to cook for her, but thankful that they didn't have to eat whatever he made.

"Why daan't ya two grab sum drinks aht of the fridge and we'll be aht in a second." He suggested and then disappeared into the kitchen. Johnny led Meena over to a small fridge on the other side of the room and they each selected a soda, and took their places at the poker table.

Meena felt herself starting to relax and she squeezed Johnny's thigh to let him know. He smiled at her and sipped his soda, wondering what exactly his family was doing in the kitchen. He was about to get up and investigate when Big Daddy reentered the room, dragging Barry and Donny behind him.

"Welcome ter our game Meena. It's nice ter meet ya." Meena smiled shyly up at him.

"It's v-very nice of you t-to invite me." She nervously looked down at her poker chips, moving them around so that they were meticulously organized in front of her.

"We'll try ter go easy on ya. Wite boys?" He gave Donny a look and he frowned but nodded in agreement. Donny was usually the winner on their poker nights because of his history as a merciless poker player.

"Really it's fine. I um, I can hold my own." Meena tried to assure them but everyone still seemed skeptical and there was an unspoken agreement not to go too hard on Meena.

Johnny was the first to deal and the game was off like a shot. Meena eagerly participated in the round and as they continued through the game she began amassing a pile of chips on her side of the table.

When they stopped around seven to order pizza and eat Johnny pulled Meena aside into the kitchen to check on her. He stroked her cheek gently with his hand and she immediately leaned into his touch with a smile.

" 'Ow ya 'olding up in there?" He asked with a rueful smile.

"I think I'm holding up pretty well don't you?" She asked with a raised eyebrow and Johnny laughed and leaned in to pepper her face with kisses. She giggled louder and playfully batted him away.

"We shouldn't be doing this with your dad and your uncles out there." She whispered when he leaned in to kiss her on the lips.

"Wahn time won't 'urt anybody." Johnny said as he leaned in, and with that her resistance melted away and she leaned into his kiss. As his hand slid up her back and he deepened the kiss they were torn apart by Big Daddy's voice.

"Oy lovebirds! Get aht 'ere, we got a game ter finish!" Simultaneously the young couple turned bright red and jumped apart. As they hurried into the living room where everybody else was sitting at the table, ready to play, Johnny shot his father an embarrassed glare. He then turned the glare on his snickering uncles who immediately hid their laughter behind their hands.

"Well, let's get this party started then." Johnny grumbled and picked up the hand that Barry had dealt him. In the next two rounds before the deal moved to Meena Donny managed to clean out Barry and Johnny, effectively putting them out of the game. Johnny let out a frustrated sigh and leaned back in his chair to watch Meena. She was actually doing fairly well against Donny's onslaught, but he didn't think that she could last much longer with his father and Uncle Donny still in the game.

Meena accepted the card deck from Johnny and looked around the table, taking stock of her odds. She still had a good amount of chips left, Big Daddy was starting to fade with less than her, and Donny had the most out of all of them. If she wanted to win this game she would need to take Big Daddy out of the game and take Donny on one on one. He would be a formidable foe but there was one mistake that everyone had made from the very beginning. They had all underestimated her. Deciding that it was time to stop playing the inexperienced novice, she shuffled the cards so fast that they couldn't see what she was doing.

Every gorilla at the table leaned forward and gaped at her as she dealt the cards with deadly precision. She looked at them innocently when no one moved to pick up their cards or throw in their bets.

"Are we not playing anymore?" She asked and Donny and Big Daddy leapt into action, picking up their cards and then throwing in their bets. Donny bowed out fairly quickly as cards were revealed and it turned into a death match between Big Daddy and Meena. Big Daddy was glaring slightly over the top of his cards at Meena, trying to either intimidate her or get a read on whether or not she had a good hand. Meena turned her betting up a notch and eventually she had Big Daddy sliding all of his chips into the pot.

When it came time to reveal their cards, Big Daddy smirked and laid out three of a kind, kings high.

"Game over lil' missy." He chuckled and leaned over to take the pot but froze in his tracks when Meena laid down a full house. He stared at the cards in amazement as Meena collected her winnings and turned her attention to Donny who was giving her an impressed look.

"I think I win this round." She said kindly and then handed the deck to Johnny who was staring at her with wide eyes. He slowly shuffled and dealt the cards, the tension in the room rising quickly as Meena faced off against Donny.

As Johnny watched them go through round after round, alternating who won each hand he marveled at his girlfriend. No one would ever believe that shy, sweet Meena was facing off against a former gangster about twice her size and not even flinching. It was like she was a whole other person. He didn't even know that she could play poker let alone that she was really good at it.

He glanced at his dad, who was watching the game with a slight frown on his face and his arms crossed over his huge chest. Johnny couldn't tell if his father was impressed or upset that Meena had beat him so neatly and was winning against Donny.

His attention turned back to the game when Donny slowly pushed all of his chips into the pot and sat back with a satisfied smirk on his face. Meena casually looked down at her card and then the ones that were out on the table before sliding all of her chips into the center as well. Then tension was so thick in the air that Johnny started to get nervous for his girlfriend. This last hand would decide the game and leave a lasting impression on his family members.

Donny laid down his hand, still smirking in a way that meant that he knew he had the winning hand and nothing could discourage him from destroying Meena, not even his sense of chivalry. He laid down the cards that completed a straight flush and sat back in his chair, that smirk still pasted on his face. Johnny's heart fell in despair and he put a hand on Meena's shoulder comfortingly. To his utter shock Meena didn't seem fazed by Donny's move and reached over to take a sip from her soda. She then proceeded to lay out the cards that completed a royal flush, the only hand that could beat Donny's.

The table was consumed with absolute silence as Johnny and his entire family stared at her cards. Meena stretched and got up. She gathered everyone's empty plates and carried them to the kitchen, leaving them to stare at her winning hand.

After a few minutes, Big Daddy turned his gaze on Johnny and broke the silence, "She's a keeper son. Daan't mess this up." He stood up and with a kind smile he clapped his hand on Johnny's back and shoved him towards the kitchen where Meena was washing the dishes. Barry was comforting Donny as he stared at the hand that, by some chance of fate, had beaten him.

"Invite 'er to next week's game." Donny suddenly broke his trance and gave his nephew his signature smirk, "I could use a lil' challenge na and then."

Johnny broke out in a bright smile and his heart soared in his chest as he realized that this was his family's way of accepting Meena. He nodded and strutted into the kitchen. He stopped Meena from grabbing the next dish and instead grabbed her soapy hand in his own.

"Wanna tell me where aw that came from?" He teased and Meena looked down at his chest with a sheepish smile.

"My grandma was a world poker champion. I've been playing poker since I was a little kid." She shrugged innocently and Johnny just stared at her for a moment before getting a dreamy look on his face and cupping her face in his hands.

"Ya kna I love ya right?" He whispered and Meena giggled in response, her cheeks turning slightly red.

"I know." She leaned forward and captured his lips in a sweet kiss.


	23. Little Matchmakers

"Thank you so much for doing this you guys." Rosita grinned and adjusted her favorite yellow purse on her shoulder. Norman came up behind her and looked over the two teens that were currently serving as a jungle gym for their twenty-five children. Meena used her trunk to gently lift Casper off of the top of her head and onto the ground. He immediately began trying to climb up her body once more. Johnny was surrounded by Rosita's little girls, who were pestering him with question after question as they tugged on his leather jacket. He was kneeling on the ground trying to answer them but they were coming to fast for him to get a word in edgewise.

"It's no problem Rosita." Meena smiled and picked yet another piglet off the top of her head.

"Yeah it'll be loads of fan." Johnny looked up momentarily to smile charmingly at the two wary-looking parents before returning to entertaining the piglets.

"So I left all of the emergency numbers on the fridge, bedtime is eight, they need to brush their teeth and they like a story before they go to sleep. We'll be back at nine. Oh and make sure that Meena cooks, not Johnny. I like my kitchen the way it is." She sent Johnny a stern look and the gorilla shrugged innocently.

Meena laughed and nodded, "Don't worry Rosita. I'll handle dinner."

"Good. Okay everybody!" She turned her attention to her children who immediately stopped messing with their babysitters and gathered around their parents.

"Now you be good for Meena and Johnny. I don't want to hear about any shenanigans. Understand?" Rosita said as sternly as she could and the kids nodded solemnly. Satisfied that they would behave she followed Norman to the front door.

"Are you sure you two can handle them?" She suddenly turned around, a worried look on her face, "We could just go another time…" Norman frowned and Meena quickly stepped in to reassure the worried mother.

"Don't worry Rosita. Johnny and I will be able to handle your kids, no problem." She gently ushered the couple out into the hall, "Have a great time."

Rosita took one last look at her children who had managed to tackle Johnny to the ground and were climbing all over the poor gorilla. She opened her mouth to reprimand them but stopped when Johnny's deep chuckle echoed out into the hall and he roared like a monster. He rose up from the mass of piglets and began chasing them around, growling about how he was a monster who was going to 'eat some delicious piglets for dinner'. A soft smile spread across Rosita's face and her nerves began to settle for the first time that night. She looked up at Meena who was glancing back at Johnny with a dreamy smile on her face. Her smile turned into a grin and as she walked away arm in arm with her husband she hoped that her children might help their budding romance along.

Once Rosita and Norman had left the building, Meena closed the front door and turned to watch Johnny chase the piglets around the living room. Every time one of them would try to take cover behind an object or piece of furniture he would scare them out and resume the chase. As he ran past her, Meena caught his arm and pulled him to a stop. He looked at her in confusion and she gave him a shy smile.

"Can you keep them busy while I make dinner?" She asked, gesturing towards the pack of piglets who were peeking out at them from behind the couch. Johnny nodded and gave her his signature lopsided grin.

"Yeah. Daan't worry abaht it. I'll keep these lil' rascals busy." He said, slightly out of breath but still grinning widely.

"Th-thanks." Meena stuttered, struck dumb by that cute grin of his. Her cheeks turned bright red when she looked down and realized that she was still holding onto his arm. She let go, jerking away like he was covered in hot coals, and her entire face turned bright red. She turned around and hurried to the kitchen, expertly weaving through the mass of piglets who were playing on the floor. Johnny watched her go with a small smile and then turned to the piglets who he was supposed to distract.

"'Oo wants ter play 'ide and seek?" His question was met with yells of excitement and a wave of giggles, "I'll count first. Ya guys better 'urry up and hide or I'll catch ya."

He put his hands over his eyes and began counting as the piglets scattered throughout the house, desperately searching for a place to hide. One piglet in particular, Hanna, dashed for the kitchen where Meena was stirring a pot of mac n'cheese and humming to herself. Hanna jumped up onto the counter and accidentally scared the crap out of Meena, who had been in her own little world in the kitchen.

"Hanna? What are you doing? You shouldn't be on the counter." Meena scolded gently and the little pig immediately hit her with a small pout and big, teary eyes. Meena was under her spell in seconds.

"We're playing hide and seek with Johnny. Can I hide in here with you?" She pleaded and Meena looked around nervously, unsure if she should give in to the normally devious piglets.

"I don't know Hanna…" She trailed off when one little tear escaped out of Hanna's wide eyes and rolled down her cheek. For good measure Hanna wrapped her little arms around Meena's arm and hugged it tight while holding Meena's gaze.

"Please? I wanna hang out with you." She laid down the clincher and Meena was putty in her hands.

"Awww. Well of course you can hide in here. But you have to stay away from the oven and the knife rack okay?" Hanna nodded solemnly and gave Meena's arm one last hug before heading over to sit by the large cookie jar that she planned to hide behind. Her sweet little face went back to normal, not even a trace of a tear on her face. She sat down in a position where she could see the stairs and the doorway to the living room where Johnny was still counting and her siblings were hiding.

"What are you making Meena?" She whispered loud enough for the elephant to hear. Meena smiled and pretended to hide what was in the pot.

"It's a secret." She winked at Hanna who giggled and arched her neck trying to see in the large pot that was about the same size as her. Her search was fruitless from her position so she quickly gave up and began playing with a whisk like it was a sword and she was a little knight defending her castle, the cookie jar.

"Aw wite! Ready or not 'ere I come!" Johnny called from the living room. Hanna dropped her whisk-sword and dove behind the cookie jar for refuge. Johnny came prowling into the kitchen a few seconds later, a playful grin on his face.

"Ya ain't 'arborin' and lil' fugitives in 'ere 're ya?" He asked, coming up behind Meena and pretending to search around her. Meena giggled and tried to keep a straight face, playing along with his game.

"Why no! Of course not." She said dramatically and Johnny gave her that crooked smile that made her heart pound and her face heat up.

"Ya sure?" He leaned in, his face getting closer to Meena's. She moved back until Johnny had her cornered against the counter, his proximity making her flustered. Hanna watched the exchange with wide eyes and she almost forgot that she was hiding from the handsome gorilla. She watched as Meena's cheeks turned bright red the same way that her mommy's did when her daddy complimented her. She noticed that Johnny leaned in the same way that her daddy did when he was going kiss mommy. As Hanna put the pieces together she made the realization that both Johnny and Meena had yet to discover.

Johnny and Meena 'like-liked' each other.

"I-I um… no. I mean yes! No there isn't anyone else h-here and y-yes I'm sure." Meena rambled nervously and Johnny's smirk softened into an affectionate smile.

"I believe ya Meena. Daan't worry." He backed away and Meena breathed deeply for what felt like the first time since he walked into the kitchen. He was walking towards the staircase when he looked over and noticed the abandoned whisk lying innocently on the counter.

"Wot were ya usin' that for?" He asked suspiciously, walking over to where Hanna was hiding. Meena saw the frantic look that Hanna shot her and she leapt into action.

"I-it's dirty! I was cleaning it for Rosita!" She stumbled over herself slightly as she hurried over to where Johnny was examining the whisk.

"Meena…It's not dirty. Actually, it looks brand new." Meena frantically snatched the whisk from his grip and held it close to her chest as she moved in front of the cookie jar where Hanna was hiding. She could feel her cover story falling out from underneath her and she desperately looked around for a distraction.

She caught sight of a piglet peeking down the stairs to check where Johnny was, and knew she had a chance.

"Johnny look!" She pointed towards the staircase and the piglet went running back out of sight just as Johnny turned around.

"Wot? Wot was it?" He asked, examining the stairs for any trace of a piglet.

"It was one of the piglets! They ran back upstairs." She pointed excitedly and gently shoved Johnny towards the stairs.

"Meena wait-" He protested but she quickly cut him off as if she hadn't heard him.

"Go, go, go. Catch all those piglets and when you're done dinner will be ready." She gave him one last shove and then turned back to stir the pot of macaroni. Johnny gave her back a confused look for a few seconds, then smiled and shook his head good-naturedly. He then began stomping up the stairs, calling out to the piglets hiding up there.

When he was gone Meena let out a sigh of relief and Hanna slowly creeped out from behind the cookie jar.

"That was a close one huh?" She laughed and Hanna giggled and nodded. Hanna didn't say anything but continued to smile knowingly at Meena. Meena looked at her suspiciously and raised an eyebrow.

"What are you thinking little missy?"

"You 'like-like' Johnny." Hanna blurted out and Meena froze mid-stir, her cheeks turning a deep red color.

"Wh-what are you talking about?" She said nervously as she looked around to see if anyone else was listening.

"You look just like mommy does when daddy says nice things about her." Hanna said matter-of-factly and Meena's face turned an even darker shade of red.

"I do not!" She protested and Hanna gave her a disbelieving look that no child should be able to pull off so fantastically.

"Yes you do. Meena and Johnny sitting in a tree! K-I-S-S-I-N-G." Hanna began to chant and Meena quickly clamped a large hand over the little piglet's mouth. She looked around once more to make sure they were alone before she finally released Hanna.

Hanna just grinned up at her and Meena gave her a desperate look, "Let's keep this between us alright?" Hanna nodded, still smiling. Behind her back her little fingers were firmly crossed.

"Why don't you go find a new hiding place in the living room?" Meena suggested as she lifted the piglet off of the counter and down onto the kitchen floor.

Hanna skipped away into the living room, singing quietly under her breath, "Meena and Johnny sitting in a tree. K-I-S-S-I-N-G."

Fifteen minutes later Johnny had rounded up all of the piglets and was herding them into the kitchen for dinner. Meena had set out a bowl of mac n'cheese with a plate of carrots and apples for each everyone. Like a mob the piglets rushed the table and climbed into their seats, eagerly digging into their food. Meena sat at one end of the table and Johnny the other so that they could keep an eye on all the piglets.

When Hanna saw that their babysitters were distracted she leaned over and began whispering into her brother Casper's ear about Meena and Johnny 'like-liking' each other. If anyone could get those two together it was Casper. He was the most mischievous out of all of the piglets and was the mastermind behind just about every stunt they pulled. Casper's mischievous and slightly evil smile curled across his face as a plan formed in his devious little mind. He whispered it to Hanna who lit up and adopted a grin much like Casper's. They gave each other a simultaneous short nod and then turned to their siblings to spread the word. A minute later all twenty-five piglets were in on the plan and as a result they all began eating faster, consumed with excitement.

Once they had all finished their dinner, Meena served chocolate pudding for dessert and, with Johnny's help, began clearing the dishes and loading the large dishwasher. Once they had loaded as many dishes as they could into the dishwasher they began hand-washing the rest of the dishes.

The piglets brought over their pudding bowls once they were done and one-by-one dashed off into the living room. When the kitchen was cleared and the dishes were dried and put away Meena and Johnny went into the living room to find out what exactly the piglets were up to.

They were all crowded around the TV watching as Tess, Kelly, and Freddy sang along to the music coming out of the karaoke machine. The lyrics were on the screen for the piglets to follow, but they were too young to keep up so they just sang the song how they pleased.

Meena laughed and went over to join the crowd of piglets, cheering on the three kids singing and dancing along with the onlookers. Johnny stood there watching them for a second, admiring the way that Meena handled the kids and how beautiful she looked when she was smiling and having fun.

Meena noticed he was still standing in the entryway and gestured for him to come over as one of the piglets shoved a microphone in her hand. A little piglet named Nelson ran over to Johnny as he carefully picked his way through the mass of piglets, and handed him the other microphone.

"Your turn." Was his only explanation as he led Johnny over to where Meena was standing in front of the screen waiting for the kids to choose their song. Meena shrugged and smiled nervously as she fiddled with her microphone.

"I guess they want a performance." She shrugged and Johnny chuckled.

"Ya kna… I daan't think that ya and I 'ave ever sung together. I'm lookin' forward ter the performance too." He winked and Meena blushed, pulling her ears close to her head reflexively. However, she couldn't stop the flutter in her chest or the smile that spread across her face. Despite her timid response she was excited to sing with Johnny too.

"Aleigh' 'Anna." Johnny nodded to the piglet, which was at the computer choosing the song, "Give us summit good."

Meena's eyes widened when she saw who was picking their song. Hanna gave her a mischievous grin that immediately made Meena's stomach sink to her toes and her palms grew sweaty.

The music began and she felt her mouth dry up immediately. The song's title rolled across the screen and she nervously gripped the microphone, waiting for her turn as Johnny sang the first line.

" **Don't go breaking my heart.** "

" _I couldn't if I t-tried."_ She started out a little nervously but gained confidence when Johnny turned to smile at her, singing his next line as if they were just talking.

" **Honey if I get restless?** "

" _Baby you're not that kind."_ She blushed slightly but laughed at the silly lyrics, finally getting into the music.

" **Don't go breaking my heart.** " Johnny bounced along with the beat and Meena joined him, her ears flaring out and her smile growing.

" _You take the weight off of me._ " She laughed and inwardly was struck by how accurate the lyric felt. Johnny literally made her feel lighter, happier.

" **Honey when you knocked on my door**

 _I gave you my key_

 _ **Ooh hoo**_

 _ **Nobody knows it**_

 **When I was down**

 _I was your clown."_ Meena made a funny face at the piglets who immediately squealed with laughter.

" _ **Ooh hoo**_

 _ **Nobody knows it**_ " This time the piglets joined in, their little voices creating the perfect chorus.

" **Right from the start"** Johnny goofy expression turned serious as Meena joyfully belted out her next lines, the truth ringing clearly in the words.

" _I gave you my heart_

 _I gave you my_

 _Heeeeaaaart"_ Johnny was so mesmerized by her he almost forgot his part, barely catching it on time.

" **So don't go breaking my heart**

 _I won't go breaking your heart_

 _ **Don't go breaking my heart**_ " Johnny reached out and impulsively grabbed Meena, pulling her close to him and dancing along to the beat, completely forgetting that they were supposed to be babysitting twenty-five little piglets. And from the starry look in her eyes, Meena had forgotten too.

" **And nobody told us**

' _Cause nobody showed us_

 **And now it's up to us babe** " Johnny winked as he sang the affectionate and fairly romantic term, trying to show Meena that he meant exactly what he sang.

" _Oh I think we can make it"_ Meena sang a little breathlessly, but she was still smiling widely up at Johnny.

" **So don't misunderstand me** ," Johnny sang as he twirled Meena around and then pulled her back in close. Meena put a hand on his shoulder and swayed in time to the music, following his lead.

" _You put the light in my life._

 **You put the sparks to the flame**

 _I've got your heart in my sights."_ This time, to Johnny's surprise, Meena was the one to wink and then spin away, playful look in her baby blues.

" _ **Woo hoo**_

 _ **Nobody knows it**_

 **When I was down**

 _I was your clown"_ Meena deftly avoided Johnny's attempts to pull her in close or spin her again, her hips moving along to the beat of the music in a way that was foreign to her.

" _**Woo hoo**_

 _ **Nobody knows it**_

 **Right from the start**

 _I gave you my heart_

 _I gave you my_

 _Heeeaaart"_ Meena finally let Johnny catch her, and she willingly melted into his strong embrace as they twirled across the limited space in the living room.

" **So don't go breaking my heart**

 _I won't go breaking your heart_

 _ **Don't go breaking my heart**_ " The piglets began to crowd around them singing along as they belted out the chorus.

 _ **"Oooh hoo**_

 _ **Nobody knows it**_

 **When I was down**

 _ **I was your clown**_

 _ **Ooh hoo**_

 _ **Nobody knows it**_

 **Right from the start**

 _I gave you my heart_

 _I gave you my_

 _Heeeaaart_

Meena noticed that some of the piglets were starting to yawn and rub their eyes tiredly, but being the stubborn little kids that they were, none of them admitted to agreeing to go to bed.

Meena began to clap rhythmically and soon Johnny and the piglets were following her example, dancing around with each other.

" **So don't go breaking my heart**

 _I won't go breaking your heart_

 _ **Don't go breaking my**_

 _ **Don't go breaking my**_

 _ **Don't go breaking my heart**_ **,"** The piglets echoed them excitedly but as the chorus went on their energy started to fade and Johnny winked at Meena when he realized her plan. If they could tire them out now it would be easier to get them to bed after the song was over.

" _ **Don't go breaking my**_

 _ **Don't go breaking my**_

 _I won't go breaking your heart."_ The piglets were starting to collapse on the ground, still trying to sing along through their sleepiness. As the song faded, Meena watched as only Hanna was left standing, wobbly but still stubbornly awake.

" **Don't go breaking my heart**

 _I won't go breaking your heart_

 **Don't go breaking my heart**

 _I won't go breaking your heart"_ The music faded and Meena shut down the TV while Johnny helped the piglets up and ushered them off to the bathroom to brush their teeth. Hanna still stood stubbornly in the middle of the room.

"I'm not tired." She whined as she rubbed her eye with a tiny little fist. Meena smiled and picked her up, carrying her towards the bathroom where the other kids were brushing their teeth.

"If you go brush your teeth. I promise I'll read you a story." Hanna brightened up and nodded her agreement. Meena set her down and she ran into the bathroom to brush her teeth.

"I guess we're doin' story time." Johnny chuckled ad the piglets filed into their room and got into bed. Hanna handed Meena a book and they all settled into bed, waiting patiently for them to start. The insisted that Meena provide the voice of the princess while Johnny provided the voice of the prince. When the story was over and the kids were sound asleep Johnny and Meena went downstairs to watch a movie.

They started out at opposite ends of the couch but each slowly inched closer to the other until their legs were touching. The warm feeling of Johnny's leg against her was sending Meena's heart into a tizzy while Johnny was trying to work up the courage to wrap his arm around her. He was in the middle of wrapping his arm around her shoulders when the front door opened and Rosita and Norman walked in. Johnny and Meena leapt off of the couch like they had been stung and hurried over to the door. Meena grabbed their stuff and hugged Rosita goodbye.

"How were they?" Rosita asked with a smile and Meena mirrored her smile, still a little flustered from her almost contact with Johnny.

"They were great. Little angels." She whispered and then headed out the door with Johnny. Rosita looked surprised at the good report from Meena and moved to the window to watch them get to Johnny's car safely.

They were walking slowly, talking about something that she couldn't hear. She watched with glee as Johnny reached over and took Meena's hand in his and she shyly looked at him. He leaned in and brushed his hand down her face, obviously nervous but not nearly as nervous as Meena looked.

Johnny leaned in and Meena's ears flared out, blocking Rosita's view. She stepped away from the window to give them some privacy and followed Norman upstairs to bed.

She knew they would get there eventually. It just took a little push.


	24. Caught Red-Handed: Rosita

Rosita was all packed up for the day and was walking out of the theatre with Gunther when it happened. She stopped dead in the middle of the lobby and focused on the slight tingling feeling that she was getting behind her ears. When she stopped walking Gunther kept walking for a second before he realized that he was talking to no one. He looked around in confusion for Rosita and when he found her he looked at her in confusion.

"Rozita? Vat iz vrong?" He asked but Rosita just held up her hand to silence him as she looked intently back at the theatre. She took stock of all of her little family members who had already left.

Eddie had been the first one to leave to get in line for some video game that was coming out tomorrow. Personally, she didn't quite understand how a video game was worth sleeping outside of a store all night and then getting up at the crack of dawn to spend money but Eddie has his heart set on it so who was she to stop him.

As soon as Ash had run out of coffee for the day she had packed up her things and started her short walk back to her and Johnny's apartment. Buster had retreated to his office/bedroom for the night and Ms. Crawley was still puttering around the upstairs area, busily shutting down the lights and anything else in the office area.

That left Johnny… and Meena! She gasped and dashed back towards the stage, the tingling growing stronger as she hunted for the young couple on the darkened stage area. Her mom senses were tingling and that was never a good thing. By the time she found them in the costume area her mom senses were going crazy. She stood there and gaped for a second, just staring at them.

The young couple was in a very compromising position, and by the looks of it this wasn't the first time. Johnny had Meena pressed up against the wall, one hand trapping her in his embrace while the other slid down her upper back, ghosted over her chest and then made its way down to cup her butt. Rosita watched in silent horror as her innocent little Meena didn't even flinch at the overtly sexual touches, and instead arched into his touch. As if to seal their fate, every touch was accentuated by how their lips were practically glued together, locked in a passionate embrace. Rosita was snapped out of her daze when Johnny's hand moved to the zipper of Meena's jacket and slowly pulled it down.

"Jonathan! You watch your hands young man!" She yelled, startling both teens. In a spectacular move of complete awkwardness Johnny stumbled away from Meena at the exact same time that she shoved him away with a little more force than she originally thought. As a result Johnny was sent flying into the costume rack which. Then proceeded to collapse in a pile of clothes, metal, and a mortified gorilla.

"Oh my gosh Johnny are you-" Meena rushed forward to help her boyfriend up but stopped short when Rosita pinned her with a glare. She nervously held her hands up in surrender and eyed Johnny's struggling form with concern. Johnny eventually wrestled himself away from the feather boa that was obviously trying to strangle him. He stumbled away from the pile of clothes and was immediately pinned by Rosita's glare.

She just glared at both of them for a minute, her eyes narrowing more and more with each passing second. Johnny exchanged questioning glances with Meena who just barely shrugged in response. Johnny tried to shift towards Meena in an effort to protect her from the obviously oncoming onslaught but that just managed to set Rosita off. Like a time bomb she exploded out of nowhere, the entirety of her mom rant focused on Johnny.

"Excuse me young man would you like to explain to me what I just saw going on here?" She roared with a surprising amount of fury. Johnny opened his mouth to try to explain the situation but Rosita continued scolding him without even taking a breath.

"No! Don't say anything I don't want to hear your excuses. You should be ashamed of yourself, groping each other in the dark like…like a couple of horny teenagers!" She blurted and Johnny looked down at his shoes, his cheeks bright red in mortification.

"And you young lady!" She turned to Meena who jumped slightly and pulled her ears in close to her head. "What would your mother think of your actions here today? You were just as much a part of this as Johnny." Meena's eyes widened at the thought of her mother finding out about their little make out session and she immediately shrunk back against the wall that she had been pressed against only a few minutes earlier.

"You're lucky that I'm not gonna call her up right now." Rosita took a deep breath and ran her hands over her shirt to straighten out any wrinkles that had been caused by her vigorous rant. She clasped her hands together in front of her and awkwardly glanced at the young couple.

"I was hoping that I wouldn't have to give this talk for a long time but I think after today it needs to be done." She said slowly and Meena and Johnny exchanged frantic looks. Their matching blushes grew even darker, probably darker than they had ever been before.

"Now when a man and a woman love each other they start to get… urges." Meena covered her face with her ears in embarrassment and Johnny looked around desperately for an escape route.

"And these urges can result in kissing, 'special' touching, and something called sex." Johnny sputtered in shock and tried frantically to salvage the conversation that was already spinning out of control.

" 'Oo said anythin' abaht sex?!" His voice went up a couple octaves but Rosita just ignored his protests and continued on with possibly the worst sex talk on the face of the planet.

"Sex is what happens when a man touches his 'special parts' to a woman's 'special parts'. This can make the man and woman… very happy." She stumbled over her words awkwardly but she just clutched her purse to her chest and carried on.

"Oh god." Johnny whispered in mortification and Meena refused to meet his gaze.

"Now this may sound like fun to you two irresponsible young kids but this is how babies are made!" Her tone became stern once more and she shook one finger at them, her blue eyes icy and serious. It was becoming hard to take her seriously considering how she had just described sex to them.

"Rosita really…" Johnny tried to stop her once more but Rosita was still on a roll.

"I don't want to see any little babies running around this theatre until you're thirty! Got it?!" She glared at both of them until they both nodded in understanding.

"Good. Now I think that it's way past time for the two of you to head home." She nodded towards the theatre exit. Meena grabbed Johnny's hand and they bolted to the door, urgently trying to escape the theatre, Rosita, and the entire situation.

Silently they got into Johnny's truck, and began the drive to Meena's house. Johnny was staring down the road like a madman, his eyes unmoving and Meena was staring listlessly out her window at the passing houses. They drove in complete silence for the entire drive, absorbed in their own chaotic thoughts.

Johnny's mind was a frantic whirlwind as he tried to sort through his embarrassment and the ways that he could salvage the night and their relationship. He wouldn't blame Meena if she never wanted to kiss him again. It made him sick to his stomach even thinking about the awkward situation that they had just escaped. All he could see was the horrified look on Meena's face as Rosita lectured them and ruined the mood in a way that probably topped any other mood killer before. Maybe every time he tried to kiss her that would be all she would think about. Maybe she was disgusted by their kiss now and this was the end of their relationship. He couldn't lose her now, he wasn't sure that he would be able to handle that. He squeezed the leather steering wheel as hard as he could, his anxiety mounting with every horrible thought that kept building on top of the next one.

Next to him in the passenger seat Meena was trapped in a similar storm of negative thoughts. She had been self-conscious to start out with and now she all she could think about was how that mortifying situation was the nail in her coffin. What if all Johnny could think about when he was with her was the embarrassment of that moment. Maybe he would be embarrassed to be with her and he would realize just how unattractive she really was. Maybe he had been embarrassed because he had been caught kissing her! She began to hyperventilate, her frantic breath fogging up the window slightly. The truck slowly came to a stop in front of Meena's house at the same time that Meena reached a breaking point and turned to Johnny.

"Do you still think I'm attractive?" She blurted out and then covered her mouth with her hands as if trying to stop herself from saying anything else embarrassing.

"Wot do ya mean?" He asked, startled when she broke the silence in a way that was completely unexpected.

"I-I mean do you… now that 'that' happened… do you still think I'm p-pretty?" She said nervously as she fiddled with her faded blue jacket, unable to meet his eyes just in case he decided that she wasn't worth dating anymore. Despite her fears, Johnny leaned over and gently lifted her gaze from her jack and over to his warm brown eyes. He gave her his signature crooked smile and stroked her cheek gently, soothingly.

"Oh Meena. Ya 're the most beautiful woman I 'ave ever met, and ya always will be. Nuffin' could ever change that." He leaned in hesitantly, still a little unsure of himself and whether or not she would want to kiss him. To his surprise Meena grabbed him by the collar and pulled him into a passionate kiss. He closed his eyes happily and reached up to cup her face in his hands but suddenly her lips were gone and she was getting out of the car and dashing up the driveway towards her house.

"See you tomorrow Johnny!" She called as she ran away and all he could do was watch her go and admire the soft blush on her cheeks.

Yeah, they were gonna be just fine.


	25. Water Warriors

"Ya sure yer ready for this?" Johnny whispered as he ducked low behind a barrier and checked his heavy water gun to make sure he had enough ammo. Behind him Meena was pressed against the barrier, dressed in a white t-shirt and shorts that matched Johnny's own white outfit. She looked up at Johnny and nodded solemnly, brandishing her own water gun.

"It's now or never." She whispered and nodded towards their target. Gunther was dancing through the barriers, dodging various shots of colored water as they soared through the air towards his white-clad body. Meena took a deep breath and took up position on the barrier, her water gun aimed for their German friend. She looked through the sights and took a long, deep breath. The chaos around her disappeared as she focused on her target, secure in the knowledge that Johnny had her back while she took out Gunther. She waited until Gunther's surprisingly quick form danced closer to where she was kneeling.

Like lightning she pulled the trigger and a strong stream of purple liquid shot out and nailed Gunther straight in the back. He turned around in shock to see who had finally gotten him out and Meena took the opportunity to shoot him again, this time right in the chest. The purple liquid splattered against his white shirt, staining it immediately. Gunther looked down at the color of the water in shock and then dazedly began to walk off the course and over to the sidelines.

Meena immediately broke out into a grin at her success and suddenly Johnny's warm voice whispered in her ear.

"Perfect shot love." She blushed at the familiar term of endearment and turned her head to reply. Just as she turned her head a splash of red liquid hit the barrier right where she had been a moment ago. She gasped and fell back into Johnny's arms. He caught her and quickly helped her to her feet, gently but urgently pushing her to run towards new cover.

"Go! I'll lay dahn sum cover fire. Get ter the bloomin' base!" Meena nodded and sprinted towards the protected base that she and Johnny had claimed at the beginning of the match.

 _It all started when they were approached to participate in a charity fundraiser for the city. They each got to pick a charity to sponsor and would then compete in a water gun fight for that charity's benefit. The winner's charity would get the majority of the donations with decreasing amounts for each charity that placed after that. Everyone was required to wear white and was assigned a color of water so that the judges would know who got whom out of the competition._

 _Even though Meena and Johnny had different charities, Johnny knew that the others would underestimate his girlfriend so he promised to train her on how to win the water fight. Meena had turned out to be a quick learner and her skills quickly surpassed Johnny's._

 _Johnny had been her rock and her biggest fan since the moment the contest had been announced and Meena knew that she could count on Johnny to protect her from stray shots and push her to the top of the competition._

Meena swerved on instinct and a splash of blue hit the wall next to her. She felt her panic start to build but she quickly pushed it down, hope blossoming in its place when she caught sight of their base. She ducked again as another round of blue water splattered the ground around her. Her heart pounding and her lungs burning, she raced desperately towards the base. She launched herself over the protective wall just seconds before two blue shot splattered against the wall. Meena pressed herself close to the wall, breathing heavily and gripping her water gun with all of her might. Without it she was a sitting duck and she refused to let down her charity by losing so early in the game.

She tensed when she heard the sound of someone running stealthily towards her base. Their steps were light but quick and their obvious destination was her cover. She pressed herself against the barrier in preparation and waited for the steps to get in range. She wasn't going to lose this base without a fight, that was for sure. When the runner was in range she quickly got on her knees and rose into position, her eye already in the sights and her finger on the trigger. She was met with a winded Johnny who was half-heartedly holding up his arms in surrender.

"Daan't shoot I come in peace." He chuckled and Meena quickly pulled him into base as a barrage of pink water soaked their outer walls. Johnny chuckled and peeked over the wall to where Rosita was brandishing one of the larger water guns and was soaking their outer wall in pink water.

"It's Rosita." He hissed and Meena frowned. It wasn't easy for her to shoot down her friends, even if it was just water and for a good cause.

"I'll take this wahn. Give me a distraction okay?" He smile sympathetically and his gentle girlfriend nodded and began shooting haphazardly over the edge of the base, drawing Rosita's fire and attention over to her. Meanwhile, Johnny snuck around to the corner of the base where they had stashed water balloons of their given color. He picked out a couple of green balloons and took aim. He pulled back his arm and stuck his tongue out slightly as he took aim. Under his breath he counted to three, waiting for Rosita to pop out of her hiding space and fire at Meena.

He watched in simultaneous amusement and amazement as Rosita hefted the large water gun over her cover and started shooting at Meena who quickly ducked behind the barrier to wait out her fire. With that Johnny saw his chance and he quickly launched a green water balloon with all of his strength. He watched in awe as the balloon flew through the air and arched gracefully towards Rosita. She looked up as the balloon approached her and gaped as it came down and smacked her directly in the stomach, covering her front in a bright green stain.

Instead of being upset Rosita just laughed and put her gun down, raising her hands above her head as she walked off the field to join Gunther on the sidelines.

"Well played you two!" She called out as she walked away. Behind the cover of their base Meena and Johnny smirked victoriously and high-fived each other.

" 'Oo do we 'ave left?" Johnny whispered and Meena mentally went through the list of their remaining opponents.

"Eddie, Ms. Crawley, Ash, and Buster." She whispered and Johnny nodded his understanding, "I-I think we should probably go after Eddie next. I think he's holed up in the tower with some snacks. If we strike at the same time as one of the others we can get in and surprise him." She looked up at him with wide eyes, waiting for his input on her plan. Johnny gazed at her, amazement shining in his eyes and he broke out into a huge smile.

"You're a genius." Meena blushed at his praise but quickly focused in as he elaborated on her plan, "Buster said 'e was garn ter get Eddie aht so 'e's prolly there na."

They both looked out over the edge of their base suspiciously, scanning the surrounding area for threats. When the area remained silent they quickly climbed over the short wall and began sneaking towards the short tower that sat in the middle of the field. As they got closer they could hear the sound of water guns firing and the trash talk being exchanged by the two best friends.

"Come out you coward!" Buster called up to the tower where Eddie could bee seen munching on some chips and shooting from his vantage point. Fortunately he seemed to be a terrible shot so the risk was significantly lowered. Johnny and Meena snuck around the edges of cover until they got to the cover closest to the side of the tower. Between their cover and the tower there was a large stretch of grassy, open area with a high risk factor if Buster saw them.

Meena peeked out at Buster and grinned when she found that his attention was solely focused on Eddie and their verbal sparring. This might be their one and only chance to outsmart the master of the plan and make it into the tower unnoticed. Meena went first so Johnny could provide cover just in case she was seen. Those few seconds that she spent dashing across the open space to the tower door were the most thrilling of the game because while she was running she was vulnerable, and Buster was a very formidable player. When she made it to the doorway she took cover in the alcove and motioned for Johnny to join her. Since Johnny was faster than her he was once again by her side in seconds and they snuck their way into the tower.

The lower level was empty except for a few black water balloons, Eddie's color, and a ladder that led up to the top level, where Eddie was comfortably perched. Meena silently climbed up the ladder so that the top half of her body was on the upper floor and Johnny held onto her legs. She positioned her gun at Eddie's back and let her finger hover over the trigger. Deciding that he wanted there to be an even more apparent sign of his victory she let out a low whistle. Eddie whipped around in surprise and in the process Meena nailed him with a shot to the chest.

Eddie groaned in disappointment and threw down his gun and his bag of chips. Meena and Johnny climbed up to the second level and watched as Eddie descended from his

Johnny moved around the tower, taking stock of all of the goodies that had been left for everyone while Meena surveilled the field for Buster. She searched every inch of the surrounding area, but the fuzzy koala had vanished. It was like he never even existed. She frowned and turned back to Johnny who was refilling his gun with a water bucket and some dye. She followed his example and filled her gun as well. She also grabbed a few purple water balloons and shoved them into her pockets. Once she and Johnny had everything that they wanted they headed back downstairs and into the playing field. As of now they were aware how unsecured and difficult it was to maintain cover in the tower so they left as soon as possible.

They were sneaking through the tree line, looking for another opponent when fortune shined on them once more. As they were rustling around, they came across Ms. Crawly who was toddling around watering bushes with the orange water that flowed from her squirt gun. Meena and Johnny exchanged looks and cautiously emerged from their hiding spot. When Ms. Crawly saw them she beamed and waved casually as she gently placed her water gun on the ground.

"It's such a beautiful day today isn't it?" She said distractedly and closed her eyes for a second as she soaked in the warmth of the day, "I'm afraid you caught me watering the flowers." She chuckled to herself and then opened her arms in surrender.

Johnny stared at her in confusion and slowly raised his water gun to point at her chest, " 'Re ya sure abaht this Ms. Crawly?" Ms. Crawley nodded and Meena looked away as Johnny took aim and fired a stream of water at the old lizard's chest. A large green splotch began to form on her white dress and Ms. Crawly looked down to examine it with interest.

"Oooh a wet t-shirt contest. How risqué." She muttered to herself and tried to cover up her imagined indecency as she hobbled over to the sidelines. Meena let out a little giggle and Johnny rolled his eyes affectionately as they watched her walk away to safety.

Once she was out of sight Meena and Johnny once again began their trek around the course. The only ones left at this point were them, Ash, and Buster so things were starting to get serious, and that also meant that they were in for a fight.

They came to a maze area that the organizers had set up for the competition. Johnny frowned, unsure whether or not they should potentially corner themselves in the maze, but ultimately a rustling sound in the maze caught his attention. One of their potential targets was in that maze. He looked back at Meena for confirmation and when she faltered he quickly turned around and pulled her in close.

"We've got this love. You're gonna win this and I've got your back. So you've got nuffin ter worry abaht." He encouraged her and Meena nodded firmly, her confidence mounting again.

"Let's go." She whispered. Johnny grinned and turned around to lead the way into the maze. They were able to stick together for a little while but eventually the maze opened up into two different paths. There hadn't been any sign of anyone else in the maze just yet so they couldn't risk not splitting up. Meena headed to the left and Johnny reluctantly headed to the right. He trusted her skills implicitly but he would much rather be watching her back than leave her to fend for herself. Johnny watched her go and didn't move down his chosen path until she had disappeared into another part of the maze.

Neither of the large animals noticed the slight form watching them through the entrance of the maze. Ash smirked and held her water gun at the ready. She decided in the moment that Meena was the easier target so she headed down the same route that her large friend had taken. Meanwhile, Johnny, who had been lingering back just in case Meena changed her mind, suddenly felt a strong urge to turn around and protect Meena. He stopped in his tracks and cursed. He turned around and ran full speed after Meena, his heart pounding in his chest.

Meena was walking through the maze slowly but steadily, looking out for her targets in front of her. She turned a corner and groaned in disappointment when she came face to face with a dead end. She turned around to head back and find Johnny but came face to face with the end of Ash's gun. She gasped and fumbled with her own gun but it slipped through her fingers and fell to the ground. She gulped and held her hands up in surrender, cursing herself for separating from Johnny and going on her own. She may be a great marksman but strategy was not her specialty.

"Meena, Meena, Meena." Ash tisked and kicked Meena's gun away from her reach, "You poor unfortunate soul. It looks like I'm gonna have to take you out." She said slowly and lined up her shot on Meena's chest.

"Wait Ash…" Meena protested but Ash jut took another step closer to Meena, her gun dripping menacingly.

"It's just business Meena. Nothing personal." There was some rustling from the wall behind them but neither girl noticed as Meena closed her eyes to accept her fate and Ash slowly began to pull the trigger. Right at that second Johnny launched himself over the wall and landed in front of Meena, his water gun already firing a continuous blast of green liquid.

Ash yelled in anger when she looked down and found her white outfit soaked in green water. Johnny landed on his knees and smirked at his friend, still panting slightly from his run to find them.

"Ya mess wif Meena, ya mess wif me." He said cockily but his smirk faded as he looked down at the big red splotch that was slowly growing on his chest. He fell onto his hands and knees and then rolled over onto his back dramatically. Meena fell to her knees and cradled his head in her lap.

Johnny coughed and squinted up at her face weakly, "We 'ad a good run love." He rasped and Meena gently stroked his hair.

"Shhh don't speak Johnny. Save your energy." Meena whispered and sniffed, wiping a few stray tears off of her cheek.

Johnny coughed again and groaned as he clutched his chest, "Meena, me Meena. Ya need ter carry on wifaht me."

Meena gasped and clutched him closer to her, "No Johnny I can't. I won't survive without you." She whimpered. Johnny cupped her cheek in his hand and made her look him in the eyes.

"Ya 'ave ter. I believe in ya." He whispered and Meena nodded, tears once more flowing down her cheeks.

"Okay." She whispered just loud enough for him to hear her. Johnny coughed violently and gasped for air, clutching the part of his chest that was covered in red water.

"Avenge me…." He gasped out and then went limp in her arms, his tongue lolling out of his mouth. Meena let out a distressed wail and hugged him close to her chest. After a few seconds she gently laid him down on the grass and stood. She grabbed her gun and took off towards the center of the maze.

"I will avenge you Johnny!" She yelled as she ran away and disappeared around the corner. Ash watched her go in confusion and then walked over to where Johnny was still playing dead.

"Get up weirdo. We're out." Johnny popped open one eye and looked around before getting up and following Ash over to the sidelines.

"You guys are so weird." Ash teased him but Johnny just shrugged and sat down on the grass.

"It's called acting." He sniffed and then focused his attention on the exit to the maze. The first person to emerge unscathed would be the winner, and while everyone else may underestimate Meena, he had faith that she would come out of there the winner.

Inside the maze, Meena was creeping towards the center where she was sure Buster was waiting to ambush her. She crept into the center o the maze where she finally caught sight of the tiny kola dressed in a completely white suit. She moved behind a tree and took aim with her water gun. Buster suddenly spun around and aimed his tiny pistol at her. Meena's eyes went wide and she quickly dodged out of the way as a barrage of blue water splattered against the tree. She dove back into the entrance to the center of the maze and fired a couple of shots towards where she thought Buster was taking cover.

"Well I never thought that you would be the one that I would be battling for the win Meena but I think my odds of winning just went up. Meena frowned behind her cover and with that comment her determination solidified like a rock. Her blue eyes were hard and cold like icicles and suddenly she was a different person. She poked her water gun around the corner and fired a couple of shots to see where Buster was. When he fired back she pinpointed his location and jumped out from behind her hiding place. All it took was a split second for her to line up her sights and pull the trigger just as Buster turned around and prepared to fire.

On the sidelines Johnny watched in anticipation as a figure emerged from the maze. He heard the gasps of shock from everyone else but he just jumped up and bean cheering loudly along with the crowd. All because his girlfriend was proudly escorting a soaking wet, purple koala out of the maze.

He rushed over to Meena and pulled her tight into his embrace. he pulled away to capture her lips in a short but sweet kiss that only made her high from victory that much more intoxicating. Everything was a whirlwind from there. They were all handed checks for their charities and Meena was given an oversized winner's check that everyone gathered around. She smiled bright for the photographer but after a few clicks of the camera her smile turned to Johnny who met hers with a bright grin full of happiness and bride.

"Told ya, you could do it." He winked and Meena blushed slightly but remained proud and excited.

"Yeah…I did didn't I?"


	26. Fancy Feet

"I can't believe that you let him bring Just Dance." Ash grumbled as she watched Gunther happily insert the game disc into Johnny's game system.

"Wot was I supposed ter do? Tell 'im nah? It's just a game." Ash crossed her arms over her chest and sunk back into the couch cushions, all the while pinning Johnny with a glare, "Besides… it might be fun."

"How?" Ash growled out and Johnny looked around the room as if the answer was hiding among their friends.

"Well it could be pretty funny to watch everyone make a fool of themselves." He shrugged and Ash perked up slightly.

"You know what Pretty Boy? I think you're on to something." She smirked and got out her phone with the intention of taking videos of their little get together. Once they had completely unpacked and decorated their new apartment the two new roommates had decided to invite their theatre family over for a little get together, something to christen the apartment. What had resulted was Meena and Rosita bringing way too much food, Buster and Eddie devouring most of the food, Ms. Crawley falling asleep, and Gunther insisting that they play his favorite game, Just Dance.

The game system powered up and the remote was handed over to Buster who began scrolling through the song selections to find their first dance. Eventually he landed on a four-person dance routine to the song "I Was Made for Loving You" by HISS. Buster then turned around and began selecting his victims; otherwise know as the three other people that would be dancing with him in the first round.

To Ash's frustration she was the first one that he chose. But her annoyance was tempered by his next choice: Johnny. If she was going to be forced to humiliate herself by playing this game her roommate would have to suffer too. The final victim was Eddie who just shrugged and launched himself off of the couch.

The characters that they were supposed to be following appeared on screen and they quickly switched positions so that everyone could be in front of the character that they chose. Ash was the guitarist, Johnny was bassist, and Buster and Eddie were squabbling over who had to be the female drummer. Buster won out but Eddie's excitement about playing had definitely gone down a few notches. Grudgingly he started off their son by imitating the female character as she pretended to clack drumsticks over her head.

Johnny was immediately thrown into the mix as the deep bass rhythm pounded out of the speaker system. He even threw his head a little bit, his spiky hair flying all over the place. While he was jamming the screen prompted Ash to join the mix. Offbeat, and unenthusiastically she moved one hand in the same way as her character on screen.

" 'Ey Ash." Johnny called over to her when he saw her low level of enthusiasm, "Lowest score 'as ter do aw of the dishes for a monf."

Suddenly Ash's energy level changed and instead of just getting average points she joined Johnny at the 'Excellent' level. Johnny smirked and went back to watching the screen, content that he had influenced his friend to at least try and have a good time.

The vocals began and Buster jumped in as the lead singer. At that point they were all getting into the groove of the move that their particular character was doing, just in time for the game to change it up on them. They all stumbled slightly as they jumped from various moves to one simultaneous motion, which resembled some odd form of skipping. Behind them Meena, Rosita, and Gunther were trying desperately to conceal their laughter as they watched their friends fumble around in some attempt to find synchronicity. Just when they got close enough to look less like flailing fish the moves changed again and they were thrown out of their groove.

This trend continued throughout the beginning of the song as they cycled between their individual moves and their group moves. At one point Johnny's character and Eddie's character switched places while still dancing, which caused Eddie to fall flat on his face and Johnny to miss a couple of moves as he helped him up. Of course they switched back to their original positions just as quickly. This time Johnny squatted down as he moved in front so that Eddie could see better. Meena thought he looked a lot like a large crab playing guitar, and that thought sent her into another round of giggles.

Buster was actually doing pretty well as the lead singer, dramatically following every single move that appeared on screen. They went through another round of group moves in a jumbled kind of synchronicity, with Johnny and Eddie switching multiple times before things got interesting again. This time Buster and Ash had to switch along with them but Ash refused to move from her spot so Buster was forced to rotate around her like a moon rotating around a planet.

When that was over Buster jumped out in front for the vocal solo. He even slid to his knees as he dramatically waved his arms around and they all did the golden move. Only Buster and Eddie got the points for doing the move, much to the hosts' annoyance. Johnny pouted but kept dancing and Ash began yelling at the TV in frustration.

Eddie got a drum solo but has was a full second behind his character so he got no points and ended up spinning right into Johnny as he tried to start his bass solo in time with the song. The two ended up in a tangled mess of limbs on the ground as they struggled to right themselves. Johnny got up just in time to complete some of his guitar solo before it was over. He stood and watched Ash do her solo, still pouring, but now he was rubbing his aching arm as well.

Ash nailed her quick little solo, even going far enough to slide onto her knees and throw her head around. She stuck her tongue out at Johnny when her point values went way up as a result. As they moved on to group moves Johnny danced and glared at Ash while she danced and smirked at him.

They did a few new moves which involved them clapping but by now they were so off as a group it was useless. The last part of the song was freestyle and Rosita ended up bright red as she tried to hold back the loud laughter that wanted so desperately to escape. "Free styling" apparently meant flailing helplessly and head banging. Meena had her face buried in a pillow, laughing hysterically into its surface as she watched her boyfriend flail helplessly on their impromptu dance floor.

Once the song had faded out and the scores were displayed on the screen they stopped dancing to see who had won the round. Johnny took one look at the scores and hung his head in despair. Ash's score had been pushed over the top by her solo move, just barely giving her enough points to beat Johnny's. Ash cheered and strutted back to her spot on the couch with a smug grin plastered in on her face while Johnny trudged back over to Meena and cuddled up to her. She put the pillow she had been laughing into down on her lap and Johnny immediately laid his head down on it. Meena giggled and began gently stroking his soft hair.

"Aw man. Na I 'ave ter do the dishes for a whole monf." He groaned into the pillow and Meena smirked playfully.

"Maybe it'll do you some good. Most of those dishes are yours after all." Johnny just groaned in response and kept pouting as Gunther stepped up to choose his song. Next to Rosita Ash was bragging loudly about her victory and all of the free time that she suddenly had on her hands because Johnny was going to be doing all of the dishes. This just made Johnny groan once more and bury his head further in the pillow. Meena rolled her eyes at the childish antics of her friends and ran her hands through Johnny's hair gently. She puzzled over some way to cheer Johnny up as Gunther looked through the expansive library of songs. She was struck with an idea and despite the anxiety that rose up in her chest at thought; she decided to try it out.

"Howabout you and I dance in the next round?" She leaned down and whispered in his ear. She felt Johnny perk up slightly and he quickly sat up so that he could look her in the eye.

"Yeah?" His eyes were shining with such excitement that Meena was able to muster up the courage to nod her assent. Johnny immediately grinned and sat up, not even registering Ash's taunting insults anymore. In the same moment Gunther chose his song and struck his starting position. Johnny arched one eyebrow and smirked. He now knew from experience that this game was harder than it looked, and even though Gunther was a great dancer Johnny was pretty sure that he would mess up at least once. After all, "Pump It" by the Black Eyed Geese was one of the hardest songs on the game.

But as the music started their portly friend moved perfectly along with the figure onscreen, matching every move with unbelievable precision. The entire theatre family sat there staring at Gunther in amazement, their mouths open in amazement. As the song continued on the moves got more complicated and involved, but Gunther didn't even make a sense.

About halfway through the song they all snapped out of their daze and began cheering their friend on as he landed a perfect on every move that scrolled across the screen. At times Johnny was convinced that Gunther was dancing better than the model that he was supposed to follow. He looked like he was born to dance to this song.

Gunther sped up along with the beat of the music as he reached the climax of the song, still hitting every move with absolute perfection. The point meter was moving up so quickly that they could barely keep track of his score, but he had definitely passed Ash's high score.

Then suddenly the song was over and Gunther had gotten a perfect score. Unfortunately he didn't even seem to register that the music had stopped and continued to dance vigorously, humming his own beat to himself. Confused, Johnny looked at the others but only saw his confusion reflected in their expressions. After a few minutes Gunther was still dancing with the same level of energy as before and Johnny was getting a bit impatient to have his dance with Meena. It was rare that she decided to make a fool of herself like this game required, especially in front of people. He could tell that with every moment that they waited Meena was growing continuously nervous and unwilling. He gestured for Rosita to fetch Gunther and she sighed in response but got up anyway to stop her partner.

All she had to do was place a gentle hand on his bouncing shoulder and Gunther was pulled from his daze as if he had been woken with a bucket of cold water.

"Oh Rozita!" He seemed surprised to see her but smiled nonetheless, "Did I sone out?" Rosita giggled and led him back to the couch, siting him down next to Buster.

"We just thought that someone else might want to go. You did wonderfully though." She quickly reassured him but Gunther's smile didn't fade for even a millisecond.

Meanwhile Johnny stood up and began selecting a song for him and Meena to do together while she nervously fiddled with her jacket. Eventually she decided to shed it just in case the song was as involved as the previous ones. She took it off to reveal her Roaring Stones shirt underneath and went back to nervously glancing at the screen, praying that her boyfriend would choose something easy.

The beginning of the song came onscreen and Meena stumbled over herself as she got into the same position as her model with her hand on dramatically resting on her forehead and her hip popped out sassily. Since Meena had never been overly sassy she looked kind of awkward in her position the first time. She glanced at Johnny as he got into his position reaching towards her. Johnny smiled charmingly up at her and winked encouragingly. The name of the song was Crazy Little Thing Called Love by Preen.

Then the music began and her model smoothly slid into the movements unlike Meena who was trying desperately to emulate her every move. Johnny was dancing along beside her as their hands and bodies swung simultaneously, or not so simultaneously because Meena kept faltering and losing her rhythm.

When their first golden move came around Meena was still trying to catch up with the previous movements and missed it completely. Johnny, who had by now found his groove and was doing fairly well looked over at her and encouraged her in a voice that was only loud enough for her to hear.

"Relax love. Ya daan't 'ave ter be perfect. Let the music move ya." He said and Meena nodded nervously, her worried look slowly smoothing out as she focused her attention back on the screen and took a couple of deep breaths. Their next move was the same one they started out with so she was familiar with it, and found herself starting to score better. This boosted her confidence and her smile slowly replaced the worried frown that had previously dominated her pretty features.

By the time their next golden move came along she was grinning and scoring really well on the dance moves. This time she fell into the dramatic position easily, almost stopping Johnny in his tracks when he saw the pure joy on her face. He missed the next move as he recovered from his surprise but he was unfazed and quickly got back into the swing of things, inconspicuously watching Meena in amazement from the side of his gaze.

She kicked her feet happily and waved her arms in great time for her first time playing the game, all the while the smile never feel from her face, on occasion it even turned into a laugh.

When their characters bounced together and bumped into each other she even managed to do that rather gently instead of bumping Johnny onto his butt as he was expecting.

It was at that moment that Johnny's attention turned completely towards her as he half-heartedly danced along with his model. She was having so much fun that the mood was infectious and their theatre family began clapping along to the beat. When Meena's attention turned to him he quickly followed his model's example and vigorously played guitar, getting down on his knees as she blew kisses at him. Even though they were just imaginary, every one hit his heart with an extra hard beat.

When their characters began clapping along to the beat as well, Meena glanced back at their clapping audience and nailed them with her sparkling grin. Johnny was immediately struck breathless and as a result fell out of time with the clapping. Everyone noticed the dreamy look he was giving her, except Meena of course, but no one made a comment.

As the song came to an end their characters kept dancing and even switched places which threw Johnny for a loop but Meena seemed unaffected, moving in front of him and dancing just as well as when she was standing still. They switched one more time and then stood back to back as the music faded out, still moving to the beat.

When the song was completely over their family cheered loudly for them and they waited for their scores to appear. When they showed up on the screen Meena frowned and looked over at Johnny with concern.

"Why is yours so low?" She asked and Johnny immediately turned bright pink in embarrassment. Obviously she hadn't noticed him staring at her as she danced.

"He was distracted by you Fancy Feet!" Ash called out and everyone broke out into laughter that only made Johnny turn redder. Meena blushed as well and leaned forward to bestow a sweet kiss on his cheek. As they returned to their seat Johnny mused to himself.

Maybe Just Dance wasn't so bad after all.


	27. Appendicitis

He knew as soon as he saw the delicate little flower swaying in the breeze and soaking up sunlight that it was perfect for Meena. Gently he plucked the flower from the ground and added it to the growing bouquet of daisies in his hand. He examined it critically, wondering if it was big enough or if he needed to gather some more flowers. The decision was made for him when the sound of his truck's horn honking came from behind him. He stood up and looked over at the truck where Ash was gesturing impatiently for him to hurry up. He rolled his eyes but began carefully making his way through the field towards where they were parked on the side of the road. When he was clear of the flowers he jogged over to the driver's side and slid into the seat next to Ash.

"Took ya long enough." She shoved him gently but he just chuckled and searched through the glove compartment for something.

"It 'as ter be special. Ya kna that." Ash shook her head but he ignored her as he rifled through the mess in his glove compartment. Finally he pulled out a faded, but very pretty, purple ribbon. Deftly he tied the flowers together into a proper bouquet, finishing it off with an adorable little bow. He painstakingly adjusted the bow until it was perfect and then handed it to Ash. She immediately accepted it, cradling it against her chest as he buckled up and pulled out onto the road once more.

Within minutes they were pulling into the vast hospital parking lot. Luckily they had been able to find a parking spot in the sea of cars, and were soon walking into the lobby of the Mercy Heart Hospital. The antelope at the front desk directed them to the elevator with a smile before turning back to her computer screen. As they stood in the elevator, watching the numbers light up as they steadily ascended. Johnny nervously tapped his foot on the tile floor, gripping the homemade bouquet against his chest like a lifeline.

"She'll be fine." Ash suddenly said, shattering the silence as nonchalantly as possible, her hands shoved in her pockets as she casually leaned against the wall of the elevator.

"Wot?" Johnny looked down at her, unsure of what she was talking about. Ash smiled and nudged him lightly before leaning back against the wall.

"Meena. She's gonna be fine Johnny. It's just minor surgery."

"Oh. I kna." He tried to shrug off the worry that had been hanging over him since Meena's mom had called him in the middle of the night saying that they were going to the hospital. Of course he had been panicked at the thought of Meena going to the hospital but Meena's mom had reassured him that as soon as visiting hours began the next day he would be able to come visit her. He had spent the rest of the night lying in bed, panicking silently to himself.

The ding of the elevator pulled him from his reverie and he led the way through the winding hallways. As they neared Meena's room his heart began pounding heavily against his ribcage. Up ahead he could see a team of nurses wheeling a large hospital bed into a room and his mouth immediately went dry when he recognized the room number as Meena's.

He stepped aside to let the nurse's leave before slowly stepping into the well-lit, spacious room. The hospital bed had been placed against the windows on the far side of the room and was currently surrounded by the small family of elephants. Tentatively Johnny walked forward, Ash following close behind. Meena's mom turned around when she heard movement in the doorway and her face split into a huge grin when she saw Ash and Johnny standing a few feet away. She gestured them over to the hospital bed and stepped back to reveal Meena.

She was swaddled in hospital blankets and was smiling despite where she was. Tubes had been hooked up to her in various places and she was surrounded by machines that were monitoring her heart rate, blood pressure, and the amount of morphine that flowed through her system. As Johnny got closer Meena's mom leaned over and gently brushed a hand against her daughter's forehead to get her attention.

"Look who's here honey." She whispered and Meena turned the full force of her cheery, but tired, smile on Johnny.

"Johnny." She breathed out as if in relief and deliberately reached her hand out for him. He hurried over to her side and clasped her weak hand in his own.

" 'Ello love." He said softly and tenderly kissed her forehead. Ash walked over casually and began sorting through the food that had been left on Meena's hospital tray. She selected a cup of Jell-O and began devouring it casually.

"Wassup Meena." She greeted her friend and Meena let loose a round of giggles as she watched her friend devour the cup of Jell-O.

"Hi Ash." She said softly and waved at her friend. Ash raised an eyebrow in confusion and smirked as she realized that their sweet little Meena was flying high as a kite on hardcore pain meds.

"Hah they hooked ya up with the good stuff huh?" She chuckled and Meena nodded solemnly in response. Johnny sent Ash a warning look but she disregarded it without a thought. She pulled out her cell phone and opened the camera app, pointing the phone at Meena's form.

" 'A 're ya feelin' love?" Johnny focused Meena's attention back on him and she immediately gave him a dreamy look.

"I could fly away with you right now." She declared, much to Johnny's confusion and Ash's delight.

"It's a date love. But let's stay in the 'ospital for a lil' while longer." He chuckled but Meena didn't reply as her attention was drawn towards the humble bouquet of daisies that were still clasped in his hands.

"Oooh. What did you bring?" She asked, trying desperately to focus on the flowers clasped in his hands. Johnny kicked himself inwardly for forgetting about the flowers and quickly checked to make sure he hadn't crushed them in his hurry to get to Meena. They were a little smushed but still in great shape so Johnny proudly handed them over to Meena. She cradled them in her hand and took a deep breath in order to take in their scent.

As soon as the scent registered in her drug-fogged mind she cuddled them close to her face so that she could take in their scent even more. Johnny chuckled and gently pulled the poor suffocated flowers away from her face. Meena gave him a stricken look, immediately upset that he was taking away her gift. Thinking quickly Johnny placed the flowers on her bedside table along with the cards and balloons that she had been gifted and proceeded to cup her cheeks in his hands.

"Na daan't get upset love. I just wanna clock that beautiful face of yours. Na can I 'ave a smile?" He grinned when Meena treated him to a bright smile and he kissed her forehead lovingly.

"I want soup." She suddenly stated and everyone burst into laughter at the innocent look on her face. Her stomach decided to corroborate her statement by releasing a loud growl that echoed through her room. Meena looked down at her stomach in shock and then her gaze shot to her mother.

"Did I swallow a monster?" She whispered, her eyes wide with worry. Her mom desperately tried to hold back her laughter as she patted her daughter's hand reassuringly.

"No honey. You're just hungry." Meena nodded solemnly and then looked around the room for her food.

"Well where is my food?" She frowned at Ash who held up her hands in surrender but didn't stop filming. Johnny nodded to Meena's mom, motioning that he would be right back. He hurried down to his truck and reached under the seat to pull out a big container of homemade soup. He jogged back up to the room, careful not to spill anything lest he suffer Meena's 'wrath'.

When he walked back into the room Meena lit up again and waved to him.

"Johnny!" She exclaimed and then looked at him in confusion, "What are you doing here?"

He laughed and pulled a chair over next to her bedside, "I'm ' re ter clock ya pretty girl." Meena turned bright red and hid her face in the blankets. She leaned over to her mom and whispered loudly.

"He's here to see me mom." Her mom smiled and patted her hand.

"I know honey." She chuckled and Meena's attention turned back to Johnny. He produced the special container of soup and set it on the tray table in front of her. Meena's eyes lit up immediately at the sight of it.

"Is that…?" She gasped comically and Johnny took the lid off of the container so that the scent could fill the room.

"I brought ya sum of Rosita's soup." He winked and Meena reached up to hug him but stopped when her hand came into contact with his soft hair. She gaped at him as she ran her fingers through his spiky hair, marveling at its texture.

"Um… wotcha doin' there?" He laughed and watched her as she thoroughly messed up his hairstyle. She didn't reply for a second, still playing with his silky locks and humming to herself.

"You hair is like a baby angel." She gasped as if discovering this fact for the first time. Ash snickered from her position at the end of the hospital bed. Johnny sent her an amused look and tried to bring Meena's attention back to the soup in front of her.

"Uh... Thanks. 'Owabaht ya 'ave sum soup na? It's made special for ya." Meena nodded and sat up slightly in the bed. As she was reaching for the spoon an annoyed look appeared on her face. She tried to stare down at her mouth and frowned when she couldn't seem to get the angle that she wanted.

"My mouth isn't working right for soup." She pouted and moved her jaw, opening and closing her mouth one more time before shaking her head and pouting. Johnny shook his head in playful exasperation and grabbed the spoon and the soup from the tray.

" 'Owabaht I 'elp ya?" Meena seemed to think it over for a second before nodding her agreement. Carefully Johnny measured out a spoonful of the soup and blew on it until he was satisfied that it was the perfect temperature. He leaned forward and slowly fed it to Meena, making sure that she didn't spit it out or get distracted. Ash had turned on the TV and was glued to a game show called Family Feud. As soon as the show came on Meena's attention was split between the soup, Johnny's hair, and the competition on screen. After she finished the soup she lay back in her bed and insisted on playing a game with Johnny.

The 'game' consisted of her hiding behind her ears and then unfurling them to reveal her face twisted into some funny expression. Johnny couldn't help but laugh as his girlfriend, who was almost an adult, essentially played peek-a-boo with him. He tried to stop Ash from taking pictures of Meena as she made faces but he could only prevent so much while still holding Meena's attention. Meena's mother had long since left to take Meena's grandparents home for the day so she had left Johnny in charge.

That was around the time that disaster struck. This time when Meena unfurled her ears it was to reveal a look of great pain and she reached down to clutch at her stomach where the incision was still fresh and obviously agitated. Johnny caught her hand before she could touch it and held it in his own. He blushed as he lifted up the hospital gown to check on the wound. He took a quick glance, relieved that the wound was still sealed and didn't look too red.

"Johnny." She whimpered and he quickly put her hospital gown down and focused back on her face. "Hurts." She whimpered and tried to reach down again but she was no match for Johnny's strength.

"I'll go get a nurse." Ash said from somewhere behind him and he just nodded in response, still holding onto Meena's hands. A few seconds later a nurse came in and upped her morphine dosage on the machine. The medicine began flowing through the tubes into Meena's arm but it didn't have the immediate effect that Johnny had been hoping for. Meena was still squirming slightly and letting out little squeaks of pain.

Johnny looked up at the nurse for answers and she smiled down at them sympathetically. "It should take effect in a few minutes. Until then you'll have to distract her." She checked Meena's vitals and then walked back out to her desk. Johnny looked to Ash for ideas but she just went over to the other side of Meena's bed and held her other hand. She sent Johnny a worried look when Meena whimpered again and looked back and forth between the two of them.

Suddenly it hit Johnny and he began stroking her hand with his thumb as he hummed softly. Meena stopped wriggling and looked at him in confusion, trying to place the tune that he was humming.

"Come on. Ya kna this wahn." he nodded to Ash who began humming along with him, "We'll sin' it together."

 _Twinkle, twinkle, little star,_

 _How I wonder what you are._

 _Up above the world so high,_

 _Like a diamond in the sky._

Johnny and Ash started slowly, singing softly and squeezing Meena's hand. She took a few deep breaths and shakily her sweet voice joined their little choir.

 _When the blazing sun is gone,_

 _When he nothing shines upon,_

 _Then you show your little light,_

 _Twinkle, twinkle, all the night._

Her hands were still shaking slightly and she was in pain but Meena's voice grew stronger and surer with each note, trying to convince her body that the pain would go away soon. It was hard to think that way when her stomach was searing with red-hot pain. it was almost worse that when she had woken up in the middle of the night last night with horrifying pain nearly paralyzing her in bed. Her mother had had to practically carry her to the car because she could barely move.

 _Then the traveler in the dark,_

 _Thanks you for your tiny spark,_

 _He could not see which way to go,_

 _If you did not twinkle so._

A numb feeling began to spread through her toes and slowly worked its way up her legs until it blossomed in her stomach and spread to soothe the pulsing pain that pounded throughout her body. Her grip on her friends' hands loosened slightly as she felt her body start to relax.

 _In the dark blue sky you keep,_

 _And often through my curtains peep,_

 _For you never shut your eye,_

 _Till the sun is in the sky._

Johnny gave her an encouraging smile as he felt her grip loosen and scooted forward so he could stroke her forehead with his hand. His warm voice melded with hers wonderfully and Ash's raspy tone added a new level to their little song.

 _As your bright and tiny spark,_

 _Lights the traveler in the dark._

 _Though I know not what you are,_

 _Twinkle, twinkle, little star._

Meena felt the last little pockets of pain disappear as they were met with the power of the morphine. her head became fuzzy again and her eyelids felt like they were attached to ten-pound weights. She could barely keep them open, but that didn't stop her from singing. Her voice grew softer and the words were a little slurred, but it was helping to relax her.

 _Twinkle, twinkle, little star._

 _How I wonder what you are._

 _Up above the world so high,_

 _Like a diamond in the sky._

Johnny and Ash stopped singing as they came to the last couple of lines and watched as Meena's head lolled to the side and her eyes closed. She was on the very precipice of sleep, still clutched their hands and mumbling the words to herself.

 _Twinkle, twinkle, little star._

 _How I wonder what you are._

 _How I wonder what you are._

With the last verse she was sleeping soundly. Johnny lowered her bed to a more comfortable position and pulled her blanket up to cover her. Ash gently extracted her hand from Meena's grasp and lowered the volume on the TV, switching the channel to an old black and white movie channel that she had been wanting to see. Johnny leaned back in his chair, still holding Meena's hand, and settled in for the rest of the day.

Meena's mom came back a little while later and Meena woke up enough to start a conversation before falling back asleep mid-sentence. When night fell and Meena's mom began to settle in to sleep in the hospital Johnny stood up along with Ash and went to gather his things. He was stopped by Meena's grip on his hands, and her sleepy blue eyes that he would do anything for.

"Johnny? Where are you going?" She asked quietly, her voice still heavy with sleep.

"It's time for me ter go home love." He whispered and Meena's sleepy look immediately transformed into a look filled with such sadness that it made his heart ache in his chest. Meena seemed to struggle with something for a second before she looked back up at him with her wide baby blues.

"Will you stay with me?" She asked softly and Johnny's heart melted in his chest. There was no way that he could say no to her.

"Of course." he tossed the keys to Ash as she came over to give Meena a brief goodbye hug. Once Ash was gone Meena scooted over in her bed just enough that Johnny could slide in next to her. She cuddled up to his chest and sighed deeply in contentment.

"Thanks for staying with me." She mumbled against his chest and Johnny smiled, stroking her side ever so softly.

"Always." He whispered against her forehead and they drifted off to sleep, Johnny content with the fact that she was safe in his arms.


	28. So This is Love

The gardens were quiet that night as he lay on the stone bench and looked up at the stars. He could still hear the noise of the ball as it carried on without him, but it was faint and if he focused hard enough he could drown them out. He wouldn't be able to steal away for too long, after all, this was his ball, but he could only stand to listen to politicians prattle on and on about his upcoming coronation for so long. The last thing he wanted to think about on such a night was the imminent end of his freedom. No, tonight, these stolen moments under the night sky, they were between him and the stars.

He shifted slightly on the bench and took a deep breath, reveling in the sense of deep peace that slowly flowed through him. This feeling had been so fleeting in the past few weeks that he would do anything to regain this feeling. It was sacred.

And then as soon as he found it, it was shattered by a familiar form wrenching him up off of the bench and onto his feet.

"Wot 're ya doin' aht 'ere boy?!" King Marcus growled at his only son and heir, Prince Johnathan. Johnny rolled his eyes and quickly dusted himself off, straightening his dress uniform.

"I just needed a break from those people." Johnny mumbled and straightened his painstakingly styled hair. King Marcus was not impressed by his son's nonchalant brush off and grabbed him securely by the arm.

"Those people 're 'ere ter clock ya. There 're 'undreds of young women aht there waitin' for ya ter choose a partner for the bloody first dance!" He growled out and grabbed Johnny by the arm, dragging him through the castle grounds and back towards the crowded ballroom.

"I'm not in the mood ter dance father." Johnny stumbled slightly and hurried his pace so that he could keep up with his irate father.

"I daan't care if you're in the bloomin' mood." Big Daddy roared angrily and stopped so that he could shake Johnny slightly, hoping to knock some sense into his son, "You're supposed ter be lookin' for a wife! After aw, we daan't 'ave much time before your coronation."

"Sorry dad." He grumbled half-heartedly and let his father steer him towards the ballroom once more. The combination of the noise of the party growing closer and his father's incessant lecturing about abandoning his guests and finding a wife caused a pit of despair to harden in his stomach. He looked around for an escape, but his father's grip was like iron around his arm. When they got to the balcony, the last step before entering the stuffy room full of simpering women and pompous bureaucrats, Johnny dig in the heels of his shiny black boots and stopped his father in his tracks.

His father looked back at him in confusion but Johnny couldn't hold it in any longer. The words just fell out of his mouth like a waterfall.

"Wot if I daan't wanna be kin'?" Johnny stood there in shock at his own words as his father's face steadily turned purple with anger.

"When ya 're kin' ya do not 'ave the bloomin' luxury ter do as ya want. Your people depend on ya!" He roared out at Johnny in a tone that would usually silence his protests, but Johnny's stubborn streak was feeling particularly strong tonight.

"But dad! I wanna sin'!" He yelled out and Marcus's face turned dark like storm clouds and his eyes blazed with anger.

"Not. Anovver. Word." He said slowly, his voice quiet and apparently calm, but there was a hidden layer of danger under every word. Johnny immediately looked down at the ground as his courage faded away in the face of his father's anger. He loved his father dearly, but they almost never saw eye to eye, despite how hard he tried to impress him.

"You mother and I raised ya ter 'onor your duty ter this throne and this kingdom." Johnny flinched at the mention of his mother, and like magic the last bit of stubbornness disappeared and he was once again his father's prince, not Johnny the singer, "I will not let ya back aht yet become a singer."

As he spoke, Marcus's voice softened and he looked down at his son with exasperation and understanding rather than fury.

"I understand that this ain't wot ya wanted son. I wish we 'ad the chuffin' choice. But we daan't. Na, get back in there and pick a maiden for the bloomin' first dance." He patted Johnny's shoulder encouragingly and ushered him towards the ballroom. As they entered he looked down at his son, trying to gauge his mood, and for the first time realized that his son wasn't wearing his mask. At a masquerade ball.

"And where is your mask?" He asked exasperatedly and Johnny quickly reached into his jacket to pull out a black half mask that was decorated with intricate leaflets of gold and white that swirled danced across the material. It contrasted perfectly with his intricate white suit jacket that was decorated with golden swirls and his stark white dress pants. The only hints of darkness in his outfit were his tall black boots and the shock of midnight that adorned his head in a perfectly shaped style. He looked very much like his role, a prince on the outside, a singer on the inside.

Johnny smiled sheepishly up at his father from behind his mask and then hurried as regally as possible over to his throne on the opposite wall. It took him quite a while to reach it as every guest seemed to be drawn to him. When he finally broke free of their grasp he almost dashed for the throne and collapsed into it.

He surveyed the crowd for someone, anyone interesting. Maidens from across the land were giggling and waving to him but to him they all looked the same, and they were all after the same thing. His throne and his riches.

He let out a large yawn and rested his head on his hand morosely. There was no one here that he even wanted to dance with let alone get that close to. Of course the women were beautiful, but there was something missing when he looked at them. Something that he couldn't quite put his finger on.

A squire stepped up next to him and banged his staff against the marble floor. The room quieted gradually and all attention turned towards Johnny and the announcer. Johnny pulled himself into a proper seating position with his back straight and his shoulders back. He could not, however, force a smile onto his handsome face so he settled for a royal blank look.

"The Prince will now choose his partner for the first dance." The squire announced loudly, his clear voice ringing throughout the hall. Johnny slowly stood, his mind racing to choose any random maiden as his partner.

His racing thoughts came to a halt as the double doors at the top of the staircase were suddenly thrown open and the last guest began her descent down the stairs. Immediately his attention zeroed in on her and he began to take the steps down from the throne at a faster pace. His warm brown eyes, however, never left her form as she slowly descended the stairs.

She was wearing a magnificent ball gown that hugged her ample curves in all of the right ways. It was strapless and the bodice was brilliant silver white that seemed to sparkle in the candlelight. The silver white of the bodice seamlessly faded into a dark blue in the skirts of the dress. Her skin was like milk chocolate and her hair fells over her shoulder in waves that were littered with light. Her face was framed by a thin white mask that looked almost as if lace had been intricately woven to show off her deep blue eyes. Everything about how she was dressed sparkled, commanded his attention, but everything about her posture seemed to scream that she was just happy to be there. Her smile was genuine and bright with excitement and she hadn't even noticed that everyone was watching her descend the staircase, she was too absorbed in the absorbing the room itself.

When she reached the bottom of the stairs Johnny was there to greet her, his hand already outstretched. As if just noticing him she jumped slightly and then shyly looked over at his outstretched hand.

"Would ya do me the great 'onor of grantin' me a dance." Johnny cursed his own accent for how inelegant it suddenly sounded and prayed that the lovely girl would accept his offer. She curtsied shyly and then her gloved hand slid into his.

"Of course." Her voice was soft and riddled with surprise but nevertheless it danced along his pounding heartstrings, playing him like a fiddle. In that moment he would do anything and everything to hear that voice again, to make that smile grow, to hear her laugh. He wanted all of her, every single bit.

He leaned forward and bestowed a chaste kiss on her hand and her dark cheeks colored slowly. Behind them

Slowly, gradually, they began to move along with the music, his brown eyes glued to her blue ones. His handsome face pulled into a grin as he looked down at her, spinning her around to the music. They moved past the crowds, dominating the dance floor without even trying. Johnny tuned out the world, the crowds, and even the music faded into the background as he fell into the cerulean depths that looked up at him with such contentment and admiration. To think that he almost ditched the ball, and now he was dancing with the most amazing woman that he had ever met.

He guided her away from the crowds and out onto the balcony, making his second escape for the night, except no one tried to stop him this time. The night air felt cool on his skin and a slight breeze lifted up his partner's hair, making it flutter and release the sweetest scent. And still they danced, unable to separate from each other as the faint music coming from inside pushed them along, twirling and twirling. Johnny found himself feeling dizzy, not entirely from their dance.

She closed her eyes in contentment and then something happened that Johnny never could have anticipated. She began to hum, the sound echoing through his chest and making his heart jump for joy. Simultaneously her eyes opened and her lips parted to allow a voice of pure honey to wash over him.

 _So this is love, mmm_

 _So this is love_

Johnny felt like his face might break in half with the force that his smile was putting on it. His heart was beating along with the rhythm of her song and he was struck silent by the absolute beauty of her voice. This woman was… well she was everything, and suddenly he felt the elusive sense of calm he had been chasing for months enveloped him with her voice.

 _So this is what makes life divine_

 _I'm all aglow, mmm_

They stopped dancing at the stairs but he did not release her hand, and she did not pull away. Rather she leaned into his loving touch, soaking up every second as he was. As they walked down the steps his voice returned to him and he joined her in song.

 _And now I know_

 **And now I know**

 _ **The key to all heaven is mine**_

He led her through the moonlight gardens, weaving around statues and plants until they reached the magnificent fountain that sat in the center of it all. The rushing water was soothing and created a perfect backdrop for them. He was in no hurry, and their steps ambled along with a rhythm of their own.

 _My heart has wings, mmm_

 _And I can fly_

As they reached the fountain, he looked down into the water as it rippled and reflected the majesty of the night sky, each star dancing along with the movement of the water, almost as if the heavens were dancing along with their song. She reached down with her free hand ghosted her fingers across the surface, creating her own little ripples as she tried to touch the stars in the sky

 _ **I'll touch every star in the sky**_

 _ **So this is the miracle**_

 _ **That I've been dreaming of**_

He led her away from the fountain and deeper into the gardens, through a veritable maze of foliage and marble statues. He spun her around again, eliciting a laugh that almost made his heart stop. They ambled over to a bridge overlooking the little river that ran through the gardens. He stopped to look down at her reflection, deciding that the water and the moonlight could never do her justice.

 _Mmm_ , **mmm**

 _ **So this is love**_

He took her hand in his own again and gently pulled her back towards the castle, wanting to show her the magnificent view that he enjoyed everyday. They sat on the stairwell, overlooking the city and the palace grounds, a view that was exclusive to the royal family. Johnny took her hand in his own and slowly leaned forward, his eyes sliding closed as she leaned in as well. Their lips were inches from each other when the clock tower struck midnight.

His masked beauty jerked back from his lips and looked at the clock tower with such surprise that he had to wonder where it came from.

"Oh no." She half groaned, and got to her feet.

"Wot's wrong?" He asked, his brow furrowing in concern and his hands reaching out to bring her back to him, to pull her back into the moment that had just ran away with the clock bells.

"It's midnight." She said a little frantically, glancing back at the clock as if willing it to change back.

"Yeah but why-" He reached out to envelope her in his embrace once more but she just leaned down and to squeeze his arms before turning away and heading back towards the ball.

"Goodbye." She said, her voice filled with regret. Johnny leapt up off of the step, reaching for her and capturing her hand.

"No, no wait." She turned t him and he saw the frantic look in her eyes once more. He was sure that his own eyes reflected that look as he tried to convince her to stay, "Ya can't leef na it's only-" She cut him off again and started pulling him towards the door as he stubbornly held onto her hand.

"No. No please I must I-" Her voice stuttered with nerves and she glanced back at the ballroom once more.

"But why?" he pleaded, capturing her other hand and bringing her in close to him again.

"W-well I-I-" She looked around as if an excuse would pop out of nowhere, "Well the prince. I haven't met the prince yet." She smiled in relief as if that statement would deter him. Instead it left him in a state of shock and her hands slipped form his.

"The prince?" he asked, shocked that she didn't know who he was. His heart beat a little faster as he realized that she had spent all this time with him, not in pursuit of his money or his stature, but because she actually wanted to. "But didn't ya kna tha-"

The clock bell cut him off once more and Johnny felt a deep hate for that clock boil in him as he watched her gasp and look to it once more. For some reason his time with her was slipping away.

"Goodbye!" She said again and picked up her skirts as she dashed back into the ballroom. Johnny lurched after her, his arm outstretched, but she was moving faster than he anticipated and she evaded him.

"Wait! Come back. Please come back." His voice grew frantic as he pursued her up the stairs, "I daan't even kna yer name! 'Ow will I find ya?" The clock bell struck once more, louder this time as it taunted him and spurred her forward. "Wait! Please wait!"

But she paid his pleas no mind and burst into the ballroom and ran for the exit. As soon as Johnny entered the room he was surrounded by a pack of women who had apparently been waiting for their 'rendezvous with the Prince'.

He lost precious seconds straining to see over the tops of their heads, only to see his true love running up the stairs and out into the foyer. He pushed past the crowd as gently as he could and broke into a sprint up the stairs.

he ran down the long hallway, past all of the guards as they stood at attention. Inwardly he cursed them for not capturing her but kept running anyway.

He caught up to her as she descended the stairs and he hurried after her, his heart pounding and screaming for him to catch her before she disappeared forever. He saw something glittering on the stairs and she turned back to grab it, but upon seeing him she just gasped and continued running as fast as she could. When Johnny reached the object he found that it was a glass slipper unique in every way. He grabbed it and continued running after her, and yet she maintained a steady lead. He watched as she climbed into an odd coach and it sped away. He yelled for the guards to close the gates, but the carriage managed to slip through, out of his reach.

She was gone.

Suddenly the night was cold and lonely again and all of his fears and frustrations came roaring back into his consciousness. He collapsed onto the step, holding the glass slipper close to his chest and the ghost of her song in his heart. And as the last midnight bell rang out into the night he made a vow to himself.

He would find her again, if it was the last thing he did, because this… this was love.


	29. Just a Little Jealous

Johnny's monstrous black truck pulled up to the front of the community college late in the afternoon just as classes were ending for the day. He turned off the truck just enough so that the radio was still blasting but he wasn't wasting gas. He leaned back in his seat and watched the doors for Meena. She had been taking some advanced cooking classes at the college for the past few weeks and she was really starting to enjoy them. Every time she came over she would make the new recipe that she learned in class for him. The class simultaneously increased her knowledge and skill while feeding him new and glamorous meals. Today was his first day picking her up from the college because her mom had to work late and the family car was in the shop.

The campus was deserted as of now but classes would end in a few minutes so he was expecting Meena to appear at any second. The song on the radio changed as students began to pour out of the building and towards the street. The strong beat of the song shook the truck slightly but Johnny didn't pay too much attention to it, he was still focused on his search for Meena in the crowd.

Suddenly he caught sight of her walking down the steps and his heart reflexively skipped a beat. Even though they had been dating for a while now his heart still reacted every time he saw her. He straightened up in his seat and reached for the keys to start the car when he saw something that made his blood turn to ice in his veins.

The crowd parted a little bit and revealed to him a handsome moose who was walking down the steps with Meena. They were talking intently about something as they walked, and Johnny watched as the moose touched her arm and leaned in towards her. Johnny felt cold fury run through him and his muscled form immediately tensed.

 _I don't like the way he's looking at you_

Meena, his sweet Meena, seemed completely oblivious to the advances that her new friend was making. She only ever saw the good in people, and it was one of her greatest strengths. As well as one of her biggest weaknesses. Johnny's hand changed direction from the ignition to the door handle, his gaze still glued to the pair as they slowly walked towards the truck.

 _I'm starting to think you want him too_

 _Am I crazy? Have I lost ya?_

 _Even though I know you love me, can't help it_

A part of him whispered that she obviously liked him back if she wasn't brushing him off, but Johnny quickly locked that part of him away. He couldn't doubt Meena! She had given him absolutely no reason to do so.

"So she has a new friend? So what?" He murmured to himself, his hand gripping the door handle so tightly that his fingers started to turn white.

What little rationality he had managed to restore disappeared as soon as the moose brushed his hand down Meena's arm and grinned like he had just won the lottery. He trusted Meena with his life but the moose… he trusted him as far as he could throw him.

 _I turn my cheek, music up_

 _And I'm puffing my chest_

 _I'm getting red in the face_

 _You can call me obsessed_

Deciding to have a little fun with the punk while asserting himself as Meena's boyfriend, Johnny opened his door and left the truck on, the music still blasting out of the windows. As he rounded the bed of the truck and came to stand in front of the passenger side door he let himself get worked up a little until his chest was puffed out, his muscles tensed, and his face slightly red from the increased blood flow.

 _It's not your fault that they hover_

 _I mean no disrespect_

 _It's my right to be hellish_

 _I still get jealous_

He was way past worrying about Meena's loyalty to him and their relationship and now his aggression was focused on the moose that was steadily approaching him. Meena couldn't help that she was so beautiful, so kind, and had the voice of an angel. And if this was a friend from her cooking class there was no doubt that he could see her talent in the kitchen. She was the perfect woman and any other man would be blind not to see it. He just never prepared himself for the day that someone else noticed.

' _Cause you're too sexy, beautiful_

 _And everybody wants a taste_

 _That's why (that's why)_

 _I still get jealous_

As he watched her walk towards him, the sun lighting up her smile and sending a new wave of emotions through him. She may not walk as confidently as some of the other girls but that was just because she didn't need to show off or preen in front of everyone. She was more than he could ever ask for and she didn't even believe it, even though he told her practically everyday. She just laughed and blushed, brushing it off as flattery.

' _Cause you're too sexy, beautiful_

 _And everybody wants a taste_

 _That's why (that's why)_

 _I still get jealous_

Maybe it was time he convinced her.

 _I wish you didn't have to post it out_

 _I wish you'd save a little bit just for me_

 _Protective or possessive, yeah_

 _Call it passive or aggressive_

Meena finally caught sight of him as leaned up against the car casually. She gasped when she saw him and waved excitedly, her smile growing even larger and brighter before his very eyes. This time the magic of her joy sparkled in her eyes as well and Johnny's heart pounded faster in his chest. She picked up the pace, the moose still trailing behind her and openly gaping at her marvelous smile.

The good feeling was faded into the background as his jealousy flared up again. Her smile was one of the world's treasures as far as he was concerned, but sometimes he wished that he could be the only one to see that smile. He wished that it was reserved for him, that she kept it at bay until only he could experience that warm feeling that it always evoked. Then again, Meena wasn't that kind of animal. She was the kind of animal who wanted to make others happy and there was no way in hell that Johnny was going to stop her selfless and slightly naive mission. After all, how could he deny anyone else that happy feeling that she always stirred up inside of him? That had to be a crime. And if it wasn't it should be.

 _I turn my cheek, music up_

 _And I'm puffing my chest_

 _I'm getting red in the face_

 _You can call me obsessed_

He shook himself away from those dreamy musings as Meena turned to her friend and gestured to Johnny as she said something that Johnny couldn't hear. However, he could assume it was about their relationship by the way that the moose's face soured briefly before returning to an increasingly strained attempt at an easy going smile.

 _It's not your fault that they hover_

 _I mean no disrespect_

 _It's my right to be hellish_

 _I still get jealous_

Johnny smirked triumphantly and uncrossed his arms to receive Meena as she hurried towards him, leaving her friend in the dust. 'That's right buddy. I'm the **boyfriend**.' He thought to himself, actually fighting the urge to say it out loud. He soon found himself thoroughly distracted as Meena threw herself into his arms, embracing him tightly.

' _Cause you're too sexy, beautiful_

 _And everybody wants a taste_

 _That's why (that's why)_

 _I still get jealous_

Johnny's welcoming smile turned a little devious as he swung Meena into a shallow dip and sealed his lips over hers in a passionate kiss. She let out a noise of surprise but didn't resist his advances, rather she encouraged them by kissing him back with equal fervor. For a moment Johnny forgot about his rival and lost himself in the kiss, tightening his grip on her waist and closing his eyes ever so slightly.

' _Cause you're too sexy, beautiful_

 _And everybody wants to taste_

 _That's why (that's why)_

 _I still get jealous_

Eventually he had to release her and slowly their lips parted, leaving them both panting and Meena a little dazed. Johnny felt pride well up inside of him at the dreamy look in her eyes as she touched her lips with her hand and blushed heavily.

 _You're the only one invited_

 _I said there's no one else for you_

' _Cause you know I get excited, yeah_

 _When you get jealous too_

" 'Ello love." He winked at her, making her blush darken slightly. Johnny turned to Meena's companion, who was looking decidedly uncomfortable and very angry.

"And 'oo is this?" He asked coolly, but his eyes were like steel and his muscles were completely tensed, ready for a fight.

"Oh this is Marcus. He's my partner in cooking class." Meena hurried to introduce her friend, slightly embarrassed that she had been too caught up to properly introduce him before.

 _I turn my cheek, music up_

 _And I'm puffing my chest_

 _I'm getting red in the face_

 _You can call me obsessed_

Johnny reached out and politely shook the Moose's hand, never looking away from his eyes as if his gaze alone could communicate that Johnny was onto his little crush and it wasn't going to fly. As he retracted his hand he made sure to squeeze the moose's hand just a little too tightly, and his frosty smile was replaced by a blank glare.

"Nice ter meetcha mate." He said in a stiff tone before turning back to Meena.

 _It's not your fault that they hover_

 _I mean no disrespect_

 _It's my right to be hellish_

 _I still get jealous_

He ran a finger down her cheek, savoring the felling of her skin and the way that she leaned into his touch.

" 'Ow was your day beautiful?" He asked and Meena absolutely lit up as she chattered on about the fantastic new recipe that they had learned in class that day. She rambled on about the techniques that the teacher taught them, using words that flew straight over Johnny's head. Even though he had no idea what she was talking about just hearing her enthusiasm and happiness was enough for him.

' _Cause you're too sexy, beautiful_

 _And everybody wants a taste_

 _That's why (that's why)_

 _I still get jealous_

"It really was a sight to see. Meena can flambé with the best of them." Marcus suddenly cut in and Johnny almost growled in frustration. Meena blushed slightly at the compliment and Johnny felt like he might explode with fury. How dare he make her blush?!

"I'm sure she does. That's me Meena." Johnny grasped Meena's hand affectionately and gave it a little squeeze. To his utter satisfaction Meena's blush deepened and she leaned over to bestow a small kiss on his cheek.

"Oh stop." She giggled and Johnny stepped back to open the passenger door for Meena.

"Well we better get garn." Johnny said as he helped Meena into the truck and shut the door behind her, securing her in his vehicle, "See ya Marvin." He purposely said the wrong name as he hurried over to the driver's side of the truck and hopped in next to Meena.

' _Cause you're too sexy, beautiful_

 _And everybody wants a taste_

 _That's why (that's why)_

 _I still get jealous_

"Bye Marcus." Meena waved happily from the truck, speaking a little louder over the pounding music. Marcus boldly stepped up to the truck and leaned over to address Meena.

"I was going to ask you if you wanted to go check out that new French restaurant downtown." Johnny's face was murderous in that moment as he marveled at the ballsy moose who was asking his girlfriend out right in front of him.

"Oh. Johnny took me there last week. It was lovely. I do recommend it. Enjoy." She turned him down cheerfully and Johnny turned on the truck, awakening the beastly engine from its short nap, "I'll see you in class."

Meena waved to Marcus as they pulled away and Johnny gunned the engine so that it roared threateningly and pushed them far away from Marcus who just watched them go morosely.

 _Oh (that's why)_

 _I still get jealous_

Meena was quiet for a second as she looked Johnny over and pondered the events that had just occurred. Suddenly it hit her. She turned down the music and smiled mischievously at her boyfriend who was currently sporting the smuggest smile that she had ever seen.

She turned down the music so that she didn't have to yell and then leaned over so that her hand was resting on Johnny's thigh.

"Johnny… were you jealous?" She probed and Johnny's smug look disappeared as he glanced at her, trying to gauge her reaction. When he saw the playful smile and felt her hand squeeze his thigh slightly he leaned back in his seat and tried to act cool.

 _Oh (that's why)_

 _I still get jealous_

"Maybe just a lil' bit."


	30. Growth Spurt

That morning Meena, Johnny and Ash were walking to the theatre from Ash and Johnny's apartment. Johnny's hand was firmly clasping Meena's and their arms were swinging slightly as they walked. The day was starting to shape up as a good one until Ash moved in front of the two lovebirds and examined them as she slowly walked backwards.

"Johnny…" Ash titled her head to one side and looked them over once more, "Did you ever notice that you're shorter than Meena?" Johnny's brow furrowed and he looked over at Meena, comparing their heights. Only in that moment did he realize that he was looking up slightly at his girlfriend.

"Only by a little bit." Ash interrupted his musings, "But still…" She winked mischievously at Johnny before turning around and walking normally once more. Meena just shrugged off the random comment and continued walking happily, but Johnny thought about it as he walked and slowly his own insecurities began to rise without his permission.

"I just haven't hit my growth spurt yet." He announced after a few minutes of brooding silence. Meena gave him a confused look and Ash snickered from her spot in front of them.

"It's true! All of the men in my family are way taller than this. I just need to hit my growth spurt." There was a slight hint of pout in his voice that made Ash snicker louder.

"Whatever you say Pretty Boy." Ash rolled her eyes and hurried up the steps into the theatre. Meena released Johnny's hand as she followed Ash, quickly leaving him behind. Johnny then proceeded to stomp up the stairs, still pouting a little bit. Once he was inside he hurried towards the stage where Buster was waiting for him in order to start the morning meeting. He took his place next to Meena, who was happily chatting with Rosita.

Johnny slowly, and as casually as possible, rose up on his tippy toes in an effort to see how far he had to grow in order to pass her height. He stopped on the very edge of his toes and a strong sense of manly pride flowed through him when he found that he was level with Meena. He tried to hold it for as long as possible but the strength in his legs finally gave out and he was forced to fall back to his normal height. Disappointment flowed through him once more and he crossed his arms over his chest, grumbling to himself like a petulant child. He didn't notice Meena trying desperately to hide her giggles as she watched him out of the corner of her eye. Johnny spent the rest of the morning meeting pouting and standing on his tippy toes, trying to be as tall as Meena. As a result he missed everything that Buster said and was really confused when everyone else started moving towards the shop rather than the practice rooms.

He gave Ash a confused look and she rolled her eyes in annoyance before pushing him towards the shop. "Today is a work day. So get your ass in the shop and work." She nodded towards the table saw where a bunch of scenery pieces were still waiting to be cut out. Johnny smiled gratefully at her before putting on the safety gear and getting to work.

He saw his next opportunity to prove his tallness when he was taking a break next to where Meena was working on the lighting and checking the rigging. He wiped the sweat off of his brow and sauntered over to where she was staring intently at her checklist.

" 'Ello Beautiful." He said in greeting and Meena looked up with a big grin on her face.

"Hi Johnny." She said softly and she started to lean in to give him a kiss but was stopped almost immediately when his lips surged up to meet hers. Johnny was standing on his tiptoes again, this time so that he could kiss her. Meena giggled slightly but enjoyed the kiss nonetheless. Eventually the strength in his tired limbs gave out and he was forced back down to his normal height.

Meena sent him a dazzling smile that made some of the disappointment disappear, but not enough to discourage him from trying to prove how tall he was. He smiled back at her before downing his water bottle and heading back into the machine shop. He wasn't even halfway through all of the set pieces that needed cutting so if he wanted to finish them all today he would need to keep his breaks short.

After a few hours of hard work he moved onto a very difficult piece of scenery that required a smaller handsaw. He spent close to half an hour scouring the workroom for it before he realized that the last person to use them had put them on the highest shelf, the one shelf that happened to be just out of his reach.

Johnny groaned as he banged his head on the counter in frustration. It was like everyone and everything was trying to rub in his height insecurity. Johnny took a few seconds to gather himself before he stood up to his full height and tried to reach for the saw. His long fingers strained for the machine, trying to find some part of it to clasp, but he only succeeded in pushing it farther back on the shelf.

He growled in frustration and looked around for something to stand on, but there wasn't anything really tall enough. Curiously he pulled on the shelving unit and it shook slightly. He looked behind him and down the hall where Meena was pulling the rigging so that the lights rose back to the ceiling. Rather than admit that he needed help to reach something, Johnny decided to scale the shelving unit.

He tentatively put one foot on the nearest shelf and made sure that he had a good enough hold before pushing off and grabbing onto the shelf. The whole unit shook slightly and his heart pounded in his chest as he waited for it to steady again. When it stopped moving he began scaling once more, taking breaks every new level in order to keep the shelf from toppling over.

He finally reached the top shelf and grabbed the handsaw triumphantly, holding it up in the air in celebration. At that same moment his one-handed grip on the shelving unit faltered and he found himself falling back towards the ground. Johnny closed his eyes tight and braced himself to hit the cold concrete floor of the set shop.

His fall, however, was stopped when he landed on something soft yet strong instead of the hard, unfeeling floor. He opened one eye to make sure that it wasn't a dream and that he was still alive. He was met with the relieved but disapproving gaze of his girlfriend.

Meena had caught him in her arms and was looking down at him with a look that made his insides squirm in shame.

" 'Ello love." He smiled charmingly but Meena just raised an eyebrow and set him down on the ground.

"What were you doing climbing up there?" She asked, looking up at the shelf curiously before looking down at him again. It was in that moment that Johnny realized that he had dropped the handsaw when he had fallen and it taunted him from the top shelf.

"That rathead 'andsaw…" He hesitated and looked down, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly, "I couldn't reach it."

Meena gave him a questioning look, wordlessly asking him why exactly he didn't ask for help. When Johnny wouldn't meet her eyes she shrugged and casually reached up with her trunk, easily snaring the handsaw and bringing it down to Johnny. He reluctantly took it from her and gave her a weary smile, not quite able to hide his own disappointment.

"Thanks Meena." He mumbled and then hurried back over to his worktable to finish his projects. Behind him Meena watched him go with a confused look on her face. Suddenly it hit her that Johnny had been acting weird all day about being tall because Ash had made him feel insecure about it. She rolled her eyes at her boyfriend's childish actions, but decided that she couldn't let him beat himself up all day. As soon as he was done with his project she would talk to him about it.

When lunch rolled around everyone gathered on the stage to eat together, like always. Johnny was the last to arrive because he had to wipe off all of the dust from his hair before joining them. Buster had gone down to the local pizza parlor and bought some pizzas so Johnny loaded up his plate with a couple before settling down next to Meena. Meena always made her own lunch rather than eat what Buster provided so she was surrounded by little containers of fruit salad, sliced veggies, and a perfectly cut peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

Whenever Johnny thought Meena wasn't looking he would lean over and steal some strawberries out of her fruit salad. They both knew that he stole her strawberries because she only put them in there for him. Once she had learned of his love for the red fruit she had packed them in her fruit salad and given him plenty of opportunities to steal them throughout their lunch hour.

Today Johnny still had a lot of work to finish, and he was starting to slow down now that his fatigue was catching up to him. He scarfed down his pizza slices, treating himself to Meena's strawberries in between every couple bites. When he finished he leaned over and rested his side against Meena's.

" 'Ey Meena?" He asked tentatively and Meena swallowed her bite of sandwich before turning to him. Everyone else was distracted by their own lunches so they might as well be in their own little bubble.

"Yeah Johnny?" She asked innocently, her sweet voice setting him at ease slightly.

"Do ya fin' I'm short?" He asked quietly and looked down at the stage, dreading her answer. She was quiet for a second and then out of nowhere she essentially pulled him into her lap and enveloped him in her embrace.

"Nope. You just haven't hit your growth spurt yet." She said matter-of-factly and relief rushed through Johnny like a tidal wave. If Meena didn't think that he was short then no one else's opinion really mattered. He wrapped his arms around her and hugged her tight in relief. Their moment, unfortunately, was broken when Ash snorted from behind them and wrapped her arms around them both.

"Isn't this adorable? You two are so cliché." She chuckled, gave them a squeeze and then went back to her lunch. Johnny awkwardly disentangled himself from Meena's embrace and scrambled onto his feet.

"Well yeah. That's the bloody way I loike it." He grinned that charming grin of his and started backing up towards the workroom where he still had piles of set pieces to cut, "I'm gonna get back ter work. Thanks for the strawberries." He winked at Meena and then hurried back to his work. She watched him go with a satisfied smile on her face.

Johnny worked the rest of the day like a machine and by the end of the day all of the set pieces were cut perfectly and waiting to be painted. He looked them over with a huge grin before settling down in his chair. As soon as his body relaxed his eyes grew heavy and his mouth got pulled into a large yawn. He looked at the clock on his phone and decided that he had enough time to take a catnap before he went home for the day.

An hour later Meena found him curled up in his chair, snoring slightly, completely dead to the world. He was sleeping so solidly that when she shook his shoulder to wake him up he just grumbled and curled into a ball. Meena giggled and stroked his hair gently, waiting for him to fall back into his deep sleep. Within seconds his soft snoring resumed and he was once again deeply ensconced in sleep. Meena worked her arms under his knees and neck and carefully picked him up so that he was nestled into her arms rather than his chair. She smiled softly to herself and began walking back to the front where Ash was waiting for them.

Secretly she hoped Johnny would never get his growth spurt. She would never be able to carry him like this then. Not that he would let her try.

When she came upon Ash she sent her a look that made her shut her open mouth and begin walking down the street. Johnny had enough to worry about, the last thing he needed to know was that his girlfriend had carried him home bridal style.

After all, he was just waiting for a growth spurt.


	31. Favorite

"They're smotherin' 'er." Johnny growled to Ash and she just rolled her eyes in annoyance before turning back to sign a fan's notebook.

"She's fine Johnny." Ash said in a low voice as she glanced over where Meena was standing by the stage shyly receiving some of her more zealous male fans. Her arms were leaden with various store bought bouquets and cheesy packages of chocolate. Suddenly the small daisy that he stuck in the corner of her dressing room mirror after every show seemed trivial.

Meena deserved the finest bouquet of flowers and the most decadent chocolates. How could anyone, even himself, give her anything close to what she deserved? They couldn't. But that didn't stop his heart from aching every time a fan handed her a romantic gift and received one of her dazzling smiles and a sincere thank you in response.

Part of the pain was his own fault considering that Meena didn't know that the modest little daisy was from him, and despite Ash's urging he had yet to tell her. He couldn't bring himself to hope that she might just love him back.

Johnny plastered on a charming grin as another squealing schoolgirl hurried up to gush over him. He was polite, but his smile was obviously fake and he was stiff as a board when she hugged him. The poor girl didn't even notice that he would rather be anywhere else in that moment. When she left, armed with a picture of them and a freshly signed t-shirt he sighed in relief and went back to watching Meena interact with her admirers.

Ash sighed heavily and grabbed Johnny by the elbow so that she could pull him away from center stage and off to the side. She pointed to Meena and then pointed to him, stabbing him in the chest with her tiny finger. He winced slightly from the force of the blow and looked down at her tentatively.

"You know exactly what you have to do Pretty Boy." Johnny's eyes widened and he shook his head frantically.

"Nah na nah na nah Ash. I can't do that." He turned his gaze back to Meena and his eyes softened into a dreamy look, "I daan't deserve-"

"I swear if I have to listen to you babble on and on about how you don't deserve her and she's so amazing, and she's an angel blah blah blah…" Ash cut him off and then yanked him down to her level by the collar of his shirt, "I. Will. Kill. You." She glared at him so hard that he gulped loudly in fear.

"Grow some balls and go ask her out." She said in passing as she released him and walked back to where her fans were patiently waiting.

He spent the next hour of fan meet and greet watching Meena like a hawk. Whenever one of her admirers got a little too close or too forward with her he would hurry over to her side to 'check on her'. What he really did was chat casually with Meena while glaring intimidatingly at her admirers.

When the hour was over and all of the fans had gone Johnny grabbed his leather jacket and slid it on as he made his way over to where Meena had been standing. He stopped short when he saw that one of Meena's admirers had hung behind and was eagerly talking with Meena as she tried to pack up all of her gifts.

Meena's sweet smile never faltered, she didn't have a mean bone in her body, but Johnny could tell that she was tired after a long day and was trying to politely tell him goodbye. Johnny straightened his jacket and stomped over to her, intent on saving her from this love-struck fool.

When he arrived the pompous black bear was describing his sports car and giving her what was supposed to be a charming grin. Johnny sidled up next to Meena and gently took the piles of flowers from her arms.

"Let me take those Meena." He gave her his crooked grin and Meena smiled up at him in relief as she gathered the last couple boxes of chocolate from the stage.

"Oh Johnny!" She looked down shyly for a moment as she adjusted the boxes in her arms, and then looked back up at him with a look that made him melt, "Thank you so much."

"If you want help sexy I could give you a hand." The bear grinned, baring his teeth and flexing his arm muscles. Johnny's faces darkened with pure anger and there was fire in his brown eyes. He didn't know who this muscle-bound idiot thought he was but there was no way that he was going to let him talk to Meena that way.

Before Meena could say anything he stepped forwards, half-shielding her with his body, "Nah thanks mate. We got it." He put a strong hand on the startled bear's shoulder and gave him the steeliest smile that he could muster.

"Didja enjoy the sha?" His eyes were as cold as ice, and if looks could kill the bear would be beyond dead in that moment. As far as Meena could tell he was being polite to her fan but the bear knew just what he was dealing with.

"Yeah I did. Especially you sweet cheeks." He made a kissy face at Meena who just shifted uncomfortably and pulled her ears in close to her head.

"Um… th-thank you." She stuttered out, visibly uncomfortable to anyone that wasn't the tenacious black bear.

"You got it baby." He winked and tried to push past Johnny to corner Meena again but Johnny's strong grip held him in place and his smile started to fade, his eyes ablaze with anger.

"Glad ya enjoyed the sha mate." He pushed the bear back slightly and turned away from him to lead Meena back to her dressing room, "We'll clock ya at the next wahn then." He sent him one last warning glance as he led Meena away.

The bear sputtered loudly behind them but Johnny just put a hand on Meena's back and led her away, the angry look from before morphing into a victorious smirk.

When they reached Meena's dressing room she directed Johnny to place the various bouquets on her table. As soon as he set them down the table disappeared under a blanket of colorful flowers of every kind.

"Ya sure got a lot of flowers 'ere." He ran his long fingers over the delicate petal of a crimson rose, "Which wahn is your favorite?"

Meena walked over to the buffet of flower and ran her hand across each type, considering them for a second. "Well the roses are really pretty and their every girl's favorite type of flower…" Johnny's heart sank and he cursed himself for picking such a simple little flower for her, "But that doesn't make them the best."

She took his heart of a roller coaster ride as she mused over every flower, smelling them and stroking their soft petals. She marveled over the lilies, the tulips, all of them but she refused to pick one as her favorite. She had moved to the edge of her dressing room table and seemed to consider the marvelous spread before her before reaching up to the corner of her mirror where his little daisy had been so delicately placed. His heart jumped up into his throat at the sight of it in her hands. She took a small sniff and a sweet grin spread across her face as she clasped it close to her chest.

"This one is always my favorite." She whispered, stroking the flower's petals as if it would disappear under her touch.

Meanwhile Johnny's heart was spontaneously combusting in his chest at the revelation that his flower, that modest little daisy he picked from the park, was her favorite.

"Why?" His mind ran away with his mouth before he could stop it and he cursed himself. But Meena wasn't offended by the question rather she was thoughtful for a second.

"I guess because this little guy is here for me after every show. It feels like a friend while all these flashy flowers are just a temporary show. This little daisy is sincere and I know it will always be there waiting for me after the show.

 _Always. Just like me._ Johnny thought to himself, fighting not to blurt it out. Meena tucked the little daisy behind her ear and admired it in the mirror.

Johnny smiled dreamily, admiring how she looked in that moment, her pure, friendly heart reflected in that mirror as clear as her sweet face.

They spent the next hour sharing her chocolates and talking about any topic that came to mind. And as Johnny dropped her off at her house he thought to himself as she walked away. Maybe he wasn't ready to ask her out right now, but he definitely wasn't going to let anyone else have her.

Because his flower... it was her favorite.


	32. I Have Nothing

She sat perched on the unforgiving plastic seats of the hospital waiting room for what felt like an eternity. Hospital staff and patients came and went but she could see nothing, all her frazzled mind could supply was a broken account of the events leading up to that moment, the moment that her life shattered before her eyes and left her a broken, hollow version of her former self.

 _ **Every time she ran through the events of the night it always started with Johnny's arm around her waist as he twirled them around on the dance floor. They were laughing, happy without a care in the world.**_

 _ **It was their 5th anniversary as a couple and despite the threat of paparazzi Johnny had insisted on taking her out to quiet upscale restaurant to celebrate. Meena could never resist him when he got that pleading look on his face so she conceded, dressed in some of her finest clothes and joined her dazzled boyfriend for their own private celebration. He hadn't been able to take his eyes off of her in her forest green floor length dress and modest jewelry.**_

 _ **Dinner was a blur of good food and conversation but the dancing was as clear as day. She had felt safe in his warm embrace and for those moments on the dance floor the world melted away and it was just the two of them, frozen in a moment of bliss.**_

 _ **When their song was over the walked out of the restaurant. Since they had both had a couple of glasses of wine with dinner Meena suggested that they take a cab. Johnny had readily agreed with her and with his arm still secure around her waist tried fruitlessly to signal one of the many taxis that were passing by them. Eventually Meena had stepped forward, raised her hand and let and short but sharp whistle. Almost immediately a taxicab screeched to the halt in front of them.**_

 _ **Johnny had given her a look that was a mix of surprise and amusement as he led her around to the side of the cab that faced the street. He dramatically opened her door for her, kissing her fingers like an old-times gentleman. Meena remembered laughing and stepping into the backseat, her eyes never leaving Johnny's.**_

 _ **She was halfway in when a set of bright headlights appeared behind her, reflected in Johnny's eyes. She heard the sound of an engine revving and the screech of tires as the car took the corner quickly. Suddenly Johnny's smiling face turned to intense fear as he looked at something behind her and then the fear morphed into panic and his strong hands were pushing her into the backseat of the car.**_

 _ **Meena fell back in the seat just as a sedan scraped against the side of the taxi, taking the door and Johnny with it. The sound of his body hitting the hood of the car and then the windshield was like a stab to her heart and even though she wasn't hurt she was still gasping for breath as she climbed out of the backseat and stumbled over to where Johnny's crumpled for was strewn on the pavement, surrounded by broken glass. She didn't notice the glass as she fell to her knees and screamed for an ambulance. From there her memory splintered.**_

 _ **Johnny in his bloody tuxedo.**_

 _ **The sound of a continuous car horn.**_

 _ **Loud sobs that came from her but she couldn't feel them.**_

 _ **Sirens.**_

 _ **Flashing red and blue.**_

 _ **Bloody bandages on her hands as she rode to an unknown destination.**_

 _ **Johnny being wheeled away.**_

 _ **The antiseptic whiteness of the hospital contrasting against his black and red.**_

 _ **Colors bleeding together as her tears consumed her.**_

 _ **Waiting.**_

Waiting.

She knew that she was waiting for word, some kind of reassurance that Johnny would be okay, that she wasn't losing her everything. But there was just silence and waiting.

She was pulled from her memories just as the cycle started again when her mother burst through the waiting room doors. She looked around frantically for a second before her tear-filled eyes locked with Meena's bloodshot baby blues. Leslie rushed over to her and pulled her daughter into her warm embrace, but Meena couldn't feel the warmth she offered she was too numb to feel anything and she was too numb to cry anymore.

Meena sat in her mother's embrace for an eternity, vaguely registering the presence of her grandparents in the seats next to them. The doors burst open once more with a crack that echoed through the waiting room, startling various onlookers. Big Daddy stood in the doorway, panting and searching the sparse occupants of the room. Meena gently pushed away her mother's arms and stood, ready to accept his wrath.

This whole accident was her fault anyway. She was the one who had suggested that they take a cab, Johnny had been helping her into the cab when he had been hit. The guilt that had been steadily eating away at her control screamed in glee when it saw the intense emotions in Big Daddy's stormy eyes. Big Daddy pushed through people as he hurried to her, the intense look never fading from his gaze. Meena closed her eyes and held her breath, waiting for his onslaught, his screams, a blow, anything that embodied the anger he must feel.

And then Big Daddy did something that no one was expecting. In one fluid motion he pulled Meena's tense form into his soft, warm embrace, firmly holding her against his chest. The breath that Meena had been holding escaped from her in her surprise and as she struggled to take in another breath big Daddy tightened his embrace and whispered in her ear.

"Thank god that boy 'ad the bloody sense ter push ya aht of the way." His voice was broken and hoarse but Meena realized that the emotion in his eyes when he looked at her had been relief. And suddenly the onslaught of tears returned and she was sobbing in Big Daddy's arms as his silent tears splashed against the top of her head.

They stayed locked together in grief, clinging to each other for support for what felt like forever. Eventually Big Daddy moved Meena back into her seat and quickly settled himself in the seat next to her. Both of her hands were clasped by Big Daddy and her mother, her support system trying desperately to hold her up in the face of uncertainty.

They sat in that waiting room for hours, watching without truly seeing, as the animals around them were called away or went home. In the early hours of the morning they found themselves alone. Leslie had insisted on changing Meena out of her bloody green dress and eventually Meena could no longer stand to wear Johnny's blood. While she was reluctant to get up out of her chair and venture into the bathroom alone her heart was screaming for her to change.

She grabbed the bag that her mother had brought for her and hurried into the one-person bathroom on the other side of the room. Like a robot she changed out of her dress and slipped into the warm sweatshirt and pajama pants that her mother had brought for her. It was like a small weight had been lifted off of her chest when she looked at herself in the mirror and no longer saw the bloodstains. She stared at herself for a few moments, looking for something, anything that would help her find herself again, but she wasn't there, she was with Johnny.

When she emerged from the bathroom she handed the bag of bloody clothes to her mother. She hadn't sat down for more than a few minutes when the doors leading deeper into the hospital opened and a cheetah in a doctor's uniform called for them. Meena and Big Daddy were the first to leap from their seats and rush the poor doctor. He seemed unphased, which in itself was a sad thought.

"Are you Johnathon's family?" He asked calmly.

"Of course we 're! Do ya clock anyone else in this waitin' room?! Na tell me abaht me son." big Daddy roared in frustration and the cheetah stepped back slightly as he looked down at the clipboard in his hands. Meena remained quiet throughout this exchange, her heart at war with itself. She was simultaneously dreading and begging to hear the news about Johnny. Her heart couldn't take if he d-… if the news was bad and at the same time she wasn't sure she could take good news. The stress was tearing her apart at the seams, but all inner turmoil disappeared when the doctor spoke again.

"We've stabilized him but his injuries are extensive. I'm afraid his body went into shock and he's fallen into a coma. We're unsure of when he will wake but if the family would like to see him now I can take you to him."

In the span of those few seconds Meena's heart jumped for joy and sank to the lowest point in the world. While she was beyond relieved that he was not dead she knew what the implication of a coma were. He may never wake up, she might still have to live without him by her side. He breath hitched dangerously and she felt like the doctor had reached into her chest and squeezed her lungs so that she couldn't breathe properly. Nonetheless she needed to see him, her entire body was itching to see him, to stroke his face, to see that he was really alive.

She followed behind Big Daddy as they were ushered back into the depths of the hospital, but the doctor stopped her in her tracks with a firm hand on her shoulder.

"I'm sorry miss. Immediate family only." He said firmly and tried to usher her still form back into the waiting room. Before he could lay another hand on Meena, Big Daddy grabbed the poor doctor by the shoulder and wrenched his grip off of her shoulder.

"She's as much family as I am and ya will let 'er pass." Big Daddy growled out at the cowering doctor, his face dark with fury. When the doctor tried to protest he cut him off with a growl, emphasizing each word, "I daan't negotiate."

"Thank you."

"Yer family Meena. Never forget that." Was all he said in reply and before Meena could say anything else they had arrived at a spacious room in the ICU. Meena hesitated in the doorway, releasing Big Daddy's hand from her iron grip so he could hurry over to Johnny's side.

Meena approached slowly, her gaze never moving from Johnny's form. He was propped up in the hospital bed, swathed in white bandages everywhere that she could see. His face was bloodied and bruised but it seemed to be in good shape. It would be better if his eyes were open and he was giving her that crooked smile that made her heart skip a beat, but his eyes remained close, and his face relaxed in deep sleep. Monitors surrounded him, their steady beeping her only proof that his heart was still weakly beating in his strong chest. He looked like a helpless child laying in that bed, rather than the full-grown gorilla that protected her from paparazzi whenever they went out.

As she neared the bed, Big Daddy took a deep, shaky breath and leaned forward to whisper in his son's ear. Meena's acute hearing caught every word and the ache in her chest where her heart used to be only intensified with each word that he choked out.

"I can't… I can't lose ya na boy. Not na. You've got so much ter live for. I can't let ya give up on it. Ya better fight. Ya come back ter us. Cause Meena and I, we'll be waitin'." His tears dropped on the blankets as he sat back, trying to gather himself in the face of his broken son. The tears refused to stop flowing, and almost like a contagious disease silent tears welled up in Meena's eyes and ran down her cheeks like little rivers.

She stood at the end of the bed for an eternity before Big Daddy stood suddenly and made for the door. She stopped him with a hand on his arm and he sniffled, still trying to be strong.

"I'm just garn ter tell yer family and get summit from the cafeteria." He offered up as an explanation but Meena knew that it was a lie. He needed to process this without Meena in the room, just like she needed to process this on her own.

"Of course." She whispered, her voice hoarse and her throat still a little raw from screaming for an ambulance.

Big Daddy nodded and continued to the door but stopped before he left, his hand still gripping the handle like it was the only thing holding him up.

"You'll stay wif 'im?" He asked softly and nausea rose up in Meena's throat at the very idea of leaving that room.

"I won't leave his side for a second." She said firmly and Big Daddy let a little smile break through his sadness. Somehow it gave Meena hope. Big Daddy then disappeared into the hallway and Meena was suddenly alone with Johnny. Irrationally she was paralyzed with fear, alone with her savior, her love, with him.

Her tears were still flowing as her shaky hand reached out and stroked Johnny's warm cheek. He gave no response to her touch but something inside of her calmed when she touched his unmarked skin and his warmth helped to soothe her. Off to the side she noticed a bag of his personal effects that had survived the crash. Curiously she reached for it and opened the bag. Almost immediately her hand touched something small and round. She pulled it from the bag and when she finally saw it she could not contain her audible gasp.

Resting innocently in her palm was the most beautiful engagement ring that she had ever seen. It was a delicate silver ringlet decorated with a diamond and two sapphires on each side. Johnny had always said that her eyes were like sapphires that he could get lost in so the gems were fitting. Inscribed on the inside were the words:

 **M + J Forever**

Meena let out a watery laugh at how much the words reminded her or a carving on a tree but they fit Johnny so perfectly there was no other inscription that she could ever want. When her laughter subsided the joy was replaced once more by her fear and sadness. She set the ring down on a table and pulled a chair up to Johnny's bedside. She had to wake him up. She had to tell him that she loved him. She had to say yes to forever. Deciding to resort to the only thing that she knew she began to sing, softly at first but with growing strength.

 _Share my life_

 _Take me for what I am_

' _Cause I'll never change_

 _All my colors for you_

Johnny never would have asked her to change, rather he helped her grow, shaped her into the person that she wanted to be. He loved her and he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. And she had helped Johnny grow. She had helped him away from his insecurities so that he could grow into the confident gentleman that he was today.

 _Take my love_

 _I'll never ask for too much_

 _Just all that you are_

 _And everything that you do_

Johnny had always been willing to give her anything that she wanted, including himself. Rather than abuse that power she had cherished it and he had showered her with gifts anyway. And when they laid in bed late at night, swathed in moonlight he revealed his deepest soul, all of his worries, his past, and his thoughts. Johnny had given her his everything and Meena had given him her true self in turn.

 _I don't really need to look_

 _Very much further_

There was no one else in this world for her, she refused to look for love anywhere else, even when her fame had won her various offers.

 _I don't want to have to go_

 _Where you don't follow_

Meena honestly couldn't imagine going on with her life without Johnny there, let alone leaving this room. She couldn't leave him behind in this hospital room, alone and unconscious, and she wouldn't let him leave her either. Her voice grew strong and she gripped the sheets of the bed as tight as she could.

 _I won't hold it back again_

 _This passion inside_

 _Can't run from myself_

 _There's nowhere to hide_

She refused to turn back into the timid person that she had been before him. She was still shy and reserved, but not to the point where she would just sit back and mourn while Johnny slipped through her fingers. She would fight for his life if he couldn't do it himself.

 _Don't make me close one more door_

 _I don't want to hurt anymore_

Her strong voice rang through the room and out into the corridor, her chest still aching with the pain of a broken heart. She refused to let it stop her voice, even when the ache intensified as she gazed down at her broken love.

 _Stay in my arms if you dare_

 _Or must I imagine you there_

She challenged him, a rueful smile spreading across her face as she thought about how he could never turn down a challenge. There had been many occasions when they had played a game of dares. He always won. She would give anything for him to win this challenge.

 _Don't walk away from me_

 _I have nothing, nothing, nothing_

 _If I don't have you, you, you, you, you_

She gently held his good hand between her two hands, calming down the tempo of her song to reflect the comfort and the pleading that she was sending his way. Safely in her grasp his hand twitched, his face following suit much to Meena's excitement.

 _You see through_

 _Right to the heart of me_

 _You break down my walls_

 _With the strength of your love_

Even before they got together Johnny had always been able to see right through her. Every time she tried to hide her emotions he would catch her in the act and call her on it in private. Once that had begun dating it was almost like he developed a sixth sense for her mood changes. As their relationship evolved he developed responses that were almost sure to turn her mood around or lessen its intensity. He grounded her.

 _I never knew_

 _Love like I've known it with you_

She saw his mouth twitch into some semblance of a smile in the blink of an eyes and she squeezed his hand to emphasize the truth of her words. He was her first and her only love, just like she had told him many times before.

 _Will a memory survive_

 _One I can hold on to?_

Tears were still streaming down her face as she thought about all of their memories together, too many to voice out loud and too many to relive in an instant. Would she be able to handle them with him gone?

 _I don't really need to look_

 _Very much further_

 _I don't want to have to go_

 _Where you don't follow_

Her tears fell on the sheets of his bed, creating little wet spots, soaking the fabric with her sadness as it tried to escape her and she tried to banish it.

 _I won't hold it back again_

 _This passion inside_

 _I can't run from myself_

 _There's nowhere to hide_

She couldn't hide from the guilt, the panic anymore as they tried to take over. Every piece of her shattered will was trying frantically to fight them off, to remain strong for Johnny. It was the hardest battle that she had ever fought with herself.

 _Your love I'll remember forever_

Meena knew that he had changed her too deeply for her to move on or forget how he had loved her. When you love someone like that it leaves an imprint so you can never forget no matter how much you might want to.

 _Don't make me close one more door_

 _I don't want to hurt anymore_

 _Stay in my arms if you dare_

 _Or must I imagine you there_

Her challenge was stronger this time but she refused to look up at his stoic face, instead focusing on the hand that she held prisoner. Her powerful voice echoed louder through the corridors, even reaching Big Daddy as he stood slumped against a nearby wall. His breathless sobs stopped as he laid his head back and listened to Meena plead with his son. If anyone could bring him back from the edge it was her.

 _Don't walk away from me_

 _I have nothing, nothing, nothing_

Meena held the note as long as she could, her voice pounding throughout the room like a beautiful, sad wakeup call. She was commanding him now, not pleading with him. Her strength that everyone always underestimated suddenly making an appearance.

 _Don't make me close one more door_

 _I don't want to hurt anymore_

Johnny twitched again but Meena didn't notice this time, still trying to entice him back to her by telling him about her hurt. He would do anything to make sure that she didn't cry or hurt. He had pushed her out of the way of that car for heaven's sake. He was her protector.

 _Stay in my arms if you dare_

 _Or must I imagine you there_

She felt his hand tighten around hers and she was flooded with the familiar memory of his warm embrace. He used to cradle her head against his chest in a way that allowed her to feel his heart beat in the most soothing way. He had done just that when they had been dancing at the restaurant. Never had she felt happier than in that embrace.

 _Don't walk away from me_

 _No, don't walk away from me_

 _Don't you dare walk away from me_

She gritted her teeth, hoping beyond hope that his strong grip on her hand meant that he was waking up, that he was coming back to her and he wasn't walking away somewhere where she couldn't stay by his size.

 _I have nothing, nothing, nothing_

 _If I don't have you, you_

 _If I don't have you, oh, oh_

She dissolved into tears, sobbing silently over his hand, her tears soaking into the hair on his hands, making it damp to the touch. Suddenly another hand came up to weakly stroke the back of her head. Her head shot up in shock and her blue eyes met his warm brown eyes. They were filled with pain and exhaustion but the love and the life that pulsed in them was stronger.

"Daan't cry beautiful." He said hoarsely and Meena let out a watery chuckle, her face nearly splitting from the force of her joyful grin.

"Johnny." She sighed out and his hand continued to stroke her head comfortingly as he forced out his next words.

"I always love… ter 'ear ya sin'. I'd never….miss a performance."


	33. Toothache

"Johnny?" Meena asked as she opened the door to the garage and slipped in. Johnny had been leaving practice early to head back to the shop and work on opening the family garage. One of the conditions of his father and uncles' release was that they have a steady work flow, so Johnny had decided to reopen the garage for business, since they all had mechanical experience. His family was set to be released on parole in just a few days so Johnny had been working hard on renovating the garage. Meena hadn't seen much of her boyfriend in that time so after practice she had caught a bus down to the garage.

There was clinking coming from somewhere deeper in the shop so Meena picked her way through tools and boxes until she found Johnny bent over a computer in a makeshift office. She stopped in the doorway to examine him for a moment, a concerned frown marring her usually sunny face.

Johnny looked tired and a little frustrated with the stubborn computer but there was something else in the way that he was sitting. He was cradling his head in one hand and kept working his jaw as if something in his mouth was bothering him.

"Johnny?" She asked again, making him jump in surprise. He looked up from the computer screen ad when he saw her leaning in the doorway he broke out into an excited smile. Meena didn't miss the slight wince that he exhibited when he smiled.

"Meena." he sighed in relief and stood up to greet her, pulling her into his embrace. Meena squeezed him tight and sighed in relief, savoring the feeling of his arms wrapped around her waist and the sound of his heart beat against where her head rested on his chest. SHe leaned up and placed an affectionate kiss on his cheek. But instead if a smile of a kiss in return, Johnny jerked away from her touch with a hiss of pain.

"What's wrong?" Meena gasped pulling out of his embrace and inspecting his cheek. She couldn't find any bruising or cuts so she turned her gaze to Johnny who was still wincing and working his jaw in order to relieve the pain.

"Oh it's nuffin'. Just a lil' toothache." Johnny tried to brush it off but Meena grabbed his hand and gave him her best stern look.

"When did this start?" She prompted, sitting him back down in the office chair so she could keep an eye on him. She removed her backpack from her back and began fishing around in the pockets. Eventually she triumphantly pulled out a small bottle of pain pills and handed it to him. Johnny sighed and popped two pills into his mouth with a sip of water, swallowing heavily. He winced again and Meena felt a sympathetic pain in her chest.

"A couple of days ago. I dunna. It's just kinda bad today." He mumbled, shifting nervously in his chair. Meena sighed in frustration and gave her stubborn boyfriend a look.

"You need to go see a dentist." She said and Johnny immediately jumped up out of his seat, a nervous look on his face.

"Nah na I daan't fin' that I should. Wouldn't wanna waste their time wif summit small loike this." He chuckled nervously and began bustling around the office, straightening piles of paper and fiddling with stuff.

"What? You're in pain! You need to go." She followed him around the office as he tried to evade her and the subject, but he couldn't hide the winces of pain that struck his face. Meena sat down in the chair that he had just vacated and watched him with exasperation written clearly across her sweet face.

"Nah. It's not enuff pain ter go clock a dentist." He shook his head and laughed nervously as he fiddled with the stapler before putting it back in its place on the desk.

"Johnny are you… are you afraid of the dentist?" She smirked and Johnny immediately tensed up, that familiar stubborn look appearing on his face. He stopped fiddling with things on the desk and advanced on her with that same look. Her smirk didn't fade for a second because she knew that the only way that she was going to get him to go to the dentist.

"Wot?! Nah!" He sputtered and winced slightly when the sudden motion caused him pain, "Of course not. I'm not afraid of summit simple loike the dentist." He chuckled but Meena could see the fear in his eyes as it mixed with the pain.

"Good. Then you shouldn't have a problem with going over there for a quick checkup." She said cheerily as she rose and began pushing his reluctant form through the shop and towards his truck. The big black vehicle was waiting patiently for them in the driveway. Meena released Johnny so that he could lock up and made her way over to his vehicle, hoping that her unspoken challenge would spur him to follow her.

Luckily, her bet paid off and Johnny slowly made his way over to the truck and climbed in. He took a shaky breath before he started the car and began the drive to the dentists office nearby. A few minutes later he was sitting in the waiting room clutching the arms of the chair like his life depended on it. His heart was pounding so quickly that it almost drowned out the pounding that radiated from his tooth.

He barely heard the nurse call his name over the pounding but he did let Meena pry him out of his chair and lead him back to the examination room. He slowly sat down in the sterile exam chair and felt his hair start to stand on end in fearful anticipation. He almost bolted when the nurse walked in to do the first examination but Meena's surprisingly strong grip kept him in place.

As the nurse examined his mouth his strong hands gripped the chair so tight that his fingers were turning white from the force of his grip. He was starting to hyperventilate when Meena suddenly grabbed his hand securely in her own. She stroked the back of his hand comfortingly and smiled at him when his wide eyes locked with hers.

"Well it looks like a pretty nasty cavity. I'll bring the doctor in to take a look but we're probably gonna have to do cap on the tooth. You shouldn't have let it fester for so long young man." The nurse scolded and then grabbed his chart and headed out of the room to find the doctor.

The doctor, a middle-aged puma with greying fur, came in briefly to examine the cavity for himself. Once he was finished examining it he nodded to the nurse and she began preparing Johnny for his filling while the doctor went into another room to prepare the filling itself.

"Alright now sweetie. I'm just going to give you a slight anesthetic so you can't feel the drilling. Just a slight prick." She turned around, brandishing a long needle and a smile. Johnny immediately leapt from the chair and began backing away towards a corner, much to the nurse's surprise.

"Wot?! Nah that's ok it doesn't 'urt anymore. Thanks. Yeah I'm good. I'm good." Johnny babbled nervously as he frantically searched for an exit but the only door was behind the nurse with the needle.

Suddenly Meena was right in front of him, blocking his view of his only escape. Her blue eyes captured him just as her hands clasped his, rubbing the backs of his hands soothingly.

"Just relax Johnny. It'll only hurt for a second and then you won't feel anything." He didn't notice but she was slowly leading him back to the chair. Before he knew it he was sitting down in that death trap with the nurse looming over him, her weapon of mass destruction ready to strike. He felt the overwhelming urge to flee again but his angel Meena was still holding his hand and if she said it was okay, then it was going to be okay.

He still closed his eyes when the nurse put the needle in his mouth. He felt a sharp pain as she pierced his gums and a slight ache as the medicine moved through his bloodstream, and then blissful numbness overtook his mouth.

He turned to thank Meena for her support but his tongue flailed uselessly in his mouth and all that came out was gibberish.

When the dentist came back in dressed in scrubs and carrying a tray of tools, he freaked out a little bit but once again, Meena's soothing touch kept him calm.

A few hours later when Meena was driving them home Johnny was admiring his new 'pirate tooth' while he sang a loopy rendition of 'A Pirate's Life For Me'. Meena shook her head and laughed but when he began singing louder she gladly joined in.

When they arrived back at the garage he stumbled out of the truck before Meena could stop him and when she pursued him he just ran faster, laughing hysterically.

And so ensued a long game of tag that led Meena and Johnny through every part of the garage. Finally she captured him and carried him over her shoulder to the couch where she bundled him up in his favorite blanket and set him to the task of picking a movie out.

'Captain Johnny Roger' insisted on a Pirates of the Catibbean marathon. Meena got him some water and pudding before settling on the couch next to him. As was customary when he was sick he rested his head in her lap and Meena stroked his hair soothingly.

He was snoring before the first movie was halfway over. Once he was asleep Meena let out a sigh of relief and leaned back into the worn leather couch.

Who knew that it would be such a headache to deal with a tiny toothache?


	34. Caught Red-Handed: Gunther

Gunther happily made his way through the theatre, humming an electronic beat to himself as he dance-walked towards the practice rooms. He was going clubbing with a few friends that night and he had forgotten his favorite glow sticks back in the practice room that he shared with Rosita. He simply could not find his groove without them, so he had promised to meet his friends at the club after he retrieved them. He slipped into the dark practice room and immediately located his prized possessions based on their green glow. He snatched them up and kissed them happily before leaving the room. As he was heading out towards the side exit he passed by Johnny's practice room, which seemed to be illuminated only by a single lamp.

Deciding that he would help out his friend, he danced over to Johnny's practice room, his eyes tightly closed as he shook his head along to an imaginary beat. When he opened them and actually looked inside the room a mischievous grin spread across his face. Inside the practice room, wrapped in each other's embrace was Meena and Johnny. He had heard stories from Ash and Rosita about the times that they had caught the couple making out and they had always been so funny that he just had to tell them, tell everyone, and right away.

He pulled his phone out, seemingly from nowhere because there was absolutely no storage room in his green jumpsuit, and opened it to the group message that the theatre family used to communicate when they weren't together.

Gunther took a moment to giggle at the last message in the group. Rosita had found a funny picture on the Internet and had shared it with them. Everyone else seemed to think that it was 'cheesy' and therefore not funny, but Gunther couldn't find the cheese in the picture so he still thought that it was VERY funny.

When he recovered from his laughter fit, he turned on his camera and switched it so that it was in 'selfie mode'. Then, he snuck closer to the glass walls of the room and positioned the camera so that Johnny and Meena could clearly be seen in the background.

Then he proceeded to spam the group chat with pictures of him making funny faces in front of the unsuspecting couple. He had told hold back the loud giggles that wanted to break free, trying desperately to keep hidden. Gunther didn't pay much attention to the two in the background, rather he focused on what face to make so that there were no repeats.

If he had paid attention he would have seem the two teens slowly separating and glancing at their constantly buzzing cell phones. He also would have seen the moment of realization dawn on Johnny's face. Most importantly he might have gotten away before Johnny burst out of the practice room and tackled the exuberant pig.

The ensuing struggle for the phone didn't stop Gunther from sending the last picture through the group chat.

Ash sat at home in that apartment that she shared with Johnny, watching some mindless TV show while she waited for dinner to finish cooking, and by dinner that meant microwaved leftovers. Her phone buzzed for the millionth time and she growled to herself before picking it up to see who was blowing up her phone and why.

"This better be good." She mumbled to herself as she opened up the theatre group chat. If it was just Rosita blasting them with memes again, she was going to throw her phone out the window. Instead she was surprised to find that Gunther had spammed them with goofy selfies. She squinted at the background and immediately broke out into laughter when she recognized her two best friends locked in a passionate kiss.

The final picture of the set almost made her pee she was laughing so hard. Gunther's face was pressed up against the camera and Johnny's snarling face was behind him, his eyes ablaze with annoyance. In the corner of the picture she could just make out Meena's concerned face as she tried to pull Johnny off of Gunther.

"Welcome to the club, Gunther my man." She chuckled to herself and turned back to the TV, the pictures now saved forever on her phone.


	35. Caught Red-Handed: The Parents

It had been a few months since they had started going out but Johnny's big black truck still rolled to a stop three houses down from Meena's home. He hadn't been inside the house, he hadn't officially met her family as her boyfriend, and he wasn't too worried about it. This was because Meena always deterred him from asking questions by sealing her lips over his. That was all it took to kill the questions swirling around his head and to turn his brain to mush. When his arms were around her and they were fogging up the windows of his truck with their passionate embrace his world narrowed to that moment. He could care less about meeting her family in favor of pulling her closer, kissing her harder, slowly moving forward with each night.

When they started going out Meena had told him how overprotective and overbearing her family could be, so they had decided to keep their relationship a secret until she was comfortable telling her family. Together they crafted an excuse for Meena to be out for a couple hours each night. She told her family that she was taking late night cooking class at the community college, which wasn't completely unbelievable. Meena loved to cook and looked for any chance that she could to improve her skills and make her food all that much better. Despite the praise that Johnny always showered upon her when she cooked for him she still held fast to the belief that she could use some improvement.

That Friday night was one of the warmest nights of the summer and Johnny's truck chose that day to decide not to provide air conditioning. As the young couple rolled up to their usual spot just down the street from Meena's house they were sweating bullets. Johnny had long since shed his leather jacket and was pulling on his shirt in an effort to cool himself down, his thick black hair putting him at a disadvantage. Meena, who was naturally better equipped to handle the heat of the day, was fiddling with her sundress as she squirmed in her seat. The hot leather of the seats was making her thighs uncomfortably warm.

In an effort to get some air flow they had rolled down the windows as they drove. It had helped until the truck came to a stop and the dead hot air of the night seeped in and warmed them right back up. Johnny glanced over at Meena, watching her shift on the seat of his truck uncomfortably. She was slightly sweaty, flushed from the heat, and she looked gorgeous. He didn't think that there would ever be a moment in his life when she wasn't absolutely gorgeous. Her soft baby blue eyes looked up at him, holding his gaze for a moment, the silence of the suburban neighborhood unbroken but for their breathing.

Suddenly, as if drawn by some magnetic force they were pressed against each other, lips moving almost frantically as giddy hands nervously wandered. Meena's hands gripped Johnny's back as he gently laid her down on the seat, his muscular body looming over her protectively. She pulled back to draw in little gasping breaths. Undeterred by her need for air, Johnny trailed his kisses down her neck, nipping gently with his teeth.

Meena let out a little gasp that made his insides flutter with pleasure and nerves but before he could pull back and apologize for his forwardness, she tilted her neck to the side to give him better access. He smirked and resumed his devoted attentions.

"Just...Just don't leave any marks..." Meena whispered, her quiet voice sending pleasant shivers down his spine. He looked up and gave her a wink that made the nervousness on her face fade away.

"Daan't worry love. I'll be careful." He whispered as he littered kisses down her neck and over to her upper chest, slowly transitioning to the other side. Meena laid her head back happiy, giving him ample space to worship her with his lips. With one final kiss to her collar bone and then her trunks he sealed his lips back onto hers.

Meena's heart was pounding in her chest as exhilaration made her blood rush through her veins. Almost of their own acord her hands began tugging at Johnny's shirt, signaling him to take it off. Johnny pulled back for a second, panting slightly as he gave her a surprised look. Meena smiled nervously and watched as a lone bead of sweat trailed down his cheek and disappeared into his slightly damp hair.

"You um...you must be hot." She gave him a flimsy explanation but Johnny saw through it immediately and a slow smile spread across his face, his eyes glinting with excitement.

"Yeah... yeah you're wite. This 'eat is killin' me." He said as he sat up, hunching over awkwardly as his head hit the ceiling. He struggled with his damp t-shirt for a moment before inevitably getting stuck, his hands hanging uselessly in the air and his head covered by his shirt. Meena giggled and sat up just enough to grab his shirt hem and pull it off of him. She was then treated to a sight that made her cheeks turn bright red and her heart tried to jump out of her chest.

He was hunched over her, his brown eyes wide open and filled with passion. The hair on his head was tussled adorably from his fight with his t-shirt and his mouth was pulled into a crooked grin as he looked her over. She was mesmerized by his hairless, muscular chest and the layer of shorter, soft black hair that trailed down to the waistband of his pants. She reached out for him, pulling him back down on top of her slowly.

This time their lips met with such softness that Meena's heart sang. The passion was still there but it was no longer as rushed, as desperate. It would have been the perfect moment except a few moments later they were blinded by a beam of light coming from a flashlight leveled down at them from the open window.

"Meena?! What are you doing?" Her grandfather's voice made her blood turn to ice in her veins and Meena pushed Johnny off of her and scrambled into a sitting position.

"Grandpa!" She gasped and covered herself up reflexively, even though she was still fully clothed, "I-It's not what it l-looks like!" She stuttered out but her grandfather's frown stayed in place. He moved the light so that it shone in Johnny's face, lighting him up as he frantically tried to slip on his shirt.

Johnny froze mid-motion, looking very much like a mortified statue, "She's wite sir. We were just...um...talkin'! Yeah we were talkin'." He scrambled for an explanation and Mr. Jones just glared at him in response. Suddenly Meena's mom appeared behind her grandfather, Meena's granmother not far behind.

"Dad? What's goin' on out here?" She asked as she peeked her head inside the car. Meena buried her head in her hands in shame and marveled and how quickly this night had gone downhill. Meena's mom just silently took in the scene and the young couple was filled with dread as they waited for her reaction.

They were not expecting her to turn to her parents with a big grin on her face and yell, "HA! You two owe me fifty bucks!" SHe laughed and Meena's grandfather's frown grew deeper as he turned it on his daughter.

"No no no. That was never a real bet." He tried meekly but Leslie refused to cave in.

"I accept cash or check dad." She crossed her arms over her chest and smirked at her father who stared back with a grumpy frown.

"Bah! I'm a terrible gambler!" He yelled out, waving his cane in the air as he turned around and began hobbling back towards his wife and the house. When he met up with his wife her usually happy face turned into a frown and she slapped her husband upside the head.

"I told you that was a dumb bet. Damn fool." She muttered as she hobbled into the house and pursued her.

"Calm down woman!" He called after her but Mrs. Jones just kept walking. They watched the elderly couple disappear into the house, still bickering.

Leslie's laugh startled Meena out of her reverie and she and Johnny turned their attention back to her.

"Mom... what just happened?" She said slowly and Leslie looked down at them with a triumphant smile.

"I was talking to your grandfather about how I thought you and Johnny were dating and he said some crap like 'My sweet little Meena don' date no boys!' so I made it a bet. And I just won." She laughed again and leaned down so that she could look them both in the eye.

"Howabout you two come inside? It's a scorcher out here and I just made some ice cold lemonade." The car was filled with awkward silence as Johnny looked to Meena for a signal and Meena stared at her mom trying to figure out exactly what was going on here. Eventually she turned to Johnny and shrugged helplessly, letting him know that it was up to him.

"Uh... sure." He said lamely and finished putting on his shirt. As the bemused couple made their way up the front walk, trailing behind Leslie, Johnny slipped his hand into Meena's and squeezed comfortingly.

Meena gave him a smile and thought to herself ' _What a night.'_


	36. Leave a Message at the Beep

Meena sighed in relief as she collapsed on the bed in her room, dropping her large duffel bag on her fluffy carpet with an audible bump. She looked over at the alarm clock on her nightstand and groaned when she saw what time it was. She had been gone for a couple of days for a huge family reunion and the only flight that had been available by the time the reunion was done was a late night red-eye. It was

Meena rolled over onto her stomach and grabbed her cell phone. As the small device powered up she stared blankly at her purple comforter, following the meticulous stitching without really seeing it. Her phone beeped to signal her that it had fully powered up and she could receive messages. There were a couple text messages from family members saying various forms of 'it was good to see you'. There was a text message from Ash saying that she better come home soon because she was sick of mopey Johnny, and then another picture of two big bottles of vodka with the caption 'getting crunk tonight'.

Meena stifled a laugh and rolled her eyes at the absurdity of the statement. She then scrolled through her email, deleting spam and marking some emails from Mr. Moon about upcoming press interviews. Finally, she opened her voicemail and frowned in confusion when she found that she had missed three calls from Johnny, each accompanied by a voicemail. Meena pressed play on the earliest message and put the phone on speaker so that she could hear the message as she changed into her pajamas.

*BEEP*

 _Meeeeenaaaaaa…_

 _Ya can't leef me alone wif this grumpy spike-monster anymore... I fin' she's plannin' ter kill me._

 _Oh God she's comin' over 'ere. Save meeeee._

 _ **Yo Pretty Boy what are you doing?**_

 _I'm talkin' ter me angel gumdrop. Go away!_

 _ **Your angel gumdrop...oh Meena! Let me talk to her!**_

The sounds dissolved into the sounds of a scuffle as time ran out and Meena giggled helplessly into her pillow. She had seen videos of funny drunk voicemails but she had never received one herself. This was going to be good. She got comfortable on her bed, clad in her fuzzy socks and a thin nightdress, and pressed play on the second message.

*BEEP*

 _'Ave I ever told ya that you're the sweetest candy fin' in aw of the universe? Ya smell loike sugar on me taste bumps._

 _When ya come back from war I'm gonna take ya aht ter get chinya- chinalo- special food._

 _*knock knock knock*_

 _ **Johnny get your butt out of the bathtub. I know you're hiding in there!**_

 _...Johnny's not 'ere wite na. Please leef a nice message at the beep... BEEP!_

 _ **Johnny you idiot it's Ash. Let me talk to Meena... call me back. BEEP!**_

 _I got rid of 'er fruitcake. Cakety cakety cakie cake. Ooo I want cake._

 _Do yo fin it's stealin' if it's cake?_

 _Imma become the famous cake burglar!_

 _And I won't discriminate on types of cake either. Cupcakes, bundt cakes... aw cakes 're created equal. Except for banana, I 'ate banana._

The message cut off as Johnny began ranting about his hatred for banana and Meena found herself laughing hysterically into her pillow. She was trying hard not to make enough noise to wake her sleeping family members but it was hard with her boyfriend ranting so drunkenly in her voicemail. Once she had calmed down enough to hold back her laughter she reached forward and pressed play on the final drunken message.

*BEEP*

 _Meena Meena Meenaaaaaaa!_

 _Won't ya please come home-aaaa_

 _If ya do I'll kiss yaaaaa_

 _And make ya dinnaaaaaaaah_

 _Cause I loooooove yaaaaaa._

 _Ok I_ _'m gonna sleep in me tub boat. I'll chat ya up in the mornin'._

 _Brin' donuts._

 _And cake._

 _*mwah*_

Meena quickly hit the save button when she was prompted, archiving those little gems so that they could serve as blackmail later on. She then turned off her lamp and settled under the covers. She drifted off to sleep quickly, but not before shooting off a short text to Johnny.

When Johnny woke up the next morning, curled up in a ball in the porcelain tub with a pounding headache, his phone screen lit up, indicating a message from Meena. He opened it, groaning slightly when the brightness of the screen made his head pound harder. She had simply written:

'I love you too.'


	37. Proof

Meena nervously adjusted the neckline of her new dress as she looked at herself in the mirror. The mayor had invited them all to a fundraising gala at his mansion where he had insisted that Johnny perform a song of his choice. Flattered that the mayor wanted to him to preform, Johnny had quickly accepted the invitation and the wheels were set in motion.

Rosita immediately got a sitter for the night of the gala and a week before the gala she had taken Ash and Meena shopping for the proper formal attire. Both girls had been especially reluctant to shop but Rosita had been so insistent that they were left with no other option. After an entire day of shopping they each had a dress that met Rosita's standards and they were dropped off at their homes with strict instructions not to show Johnny.

The confused gorilla had bugged his roommate and his girlfriend for days about seeing their dresses but both had held fast in their promise and he didn't even catch a glimpse until the night of when Rosita had pulled both girls into the women's dressing room to get ready.

So here Meena was standing in front of the mirror and hoping against hope that Johnny would like her dress. She was wearing a floor length forest green gown that hugged her torso before flaring out at the waist into an elegant train. The dress was held up by one strap that wrapped diagonally across her chest. Her mother had given her a simple gold necklace with matching earrings to wear that night and her outfit was complete. Where normally she would be marveling at the dress rather than worrying about the fit, the thought of her new boyfriend waiting to see her was sending her into a self-conscious worry fest.

And that's why when Ash stepped out of her changing stall in a classy red and black strapless dress she found her best friend still in front of the mirror adjusting imaginary flaws in her dress. If she were honest with herself Meena looked breathtaking and she found herself thinking that Johnny was one lucky guy. At the same time she knew that Meena only saw a mess of flaws rather than the beauty that everyone else saw so she hurried over to comfort her. When Meena saw Ash's form in the mirror she gasped and immediately began gushing over her appearance.

"Oh my gosh Ash you look amazing!" She exclaimed and Ash gave her a grin in response. She grabbed Meena's hand and squeezed it once, trying her best to comfort her friend.

"So do you Meena. You look gorgeous." when Meena tried to protest she gave her hand another firm squeeze and the comment died in Meena's throat.

Just then Rosita bustled in, already ready in her short but elegant black dress, and began fussing over both of them. Once she was satisfied that they looked as good as she imagined they would she ushered them out of the dressing room. Nervously, Meena squeezed Ash's hand tight, and in response the porcupine gave her an encouraging smile.

When she exited the dressing room Rosita headed straight for her husband who was waiting nearby. The easygoing pig good-naturedly let her fuss with his tie, an affectionate smile gracing his lips. Ash lead Meena out of the dressing room and over to where Johnny was chatting with Buster and Eddie. Buster was wearing his normal blue suit since he dressed formally everyday. Eddie, who had been forced to attend many such events by his mother, was wearing a tailored tuxedo. Johnny was also dressed in a new suit with a green fest that matched the color of Meena's dress. Silently, Meena thanked Rosita for secretly making sure that they matched.

Ash cleared her throat and the men immediately turned their attention to the two women. Johnny's gaze went straight to Meena and instantly his jaw dropped and his heart tried to leap out of his chest. Slowly, he walked up to her and ran his hand up her arm until he was cupping her cheek and pulling her in for a slow, passionate kiss. Meena's ears flared out slightly in surprise at the sudden kiss and when he pulled back her cheeks were adorably red.

"I'm sorry love but ya just looked so bloomin' beautiful tha' I couldn't 'elp myself." He whispered, grinning crookedly when she blushed harder and looked down in embarrassment.

"You look very handsome too." She said shyly and Johnny's grin widened in response. He leaned in and gave her another kiss, which was interrupted when Ash cleared her throat and raised her eyebrow at them.

"You think we could head out sometime today lovebirds?" She asked snarkily but both animals knew she was too happy for them to actually be upset that they hadn't left yet. They both laughed and followed the rest of the theatre family out to the car.

The entire ride to the Gala Johnny couldn't look anywhere but at Meena, much to her embarrassment. And when they pulled up to the mayor's mansion he insisted on opening the door for her and escorting her inside like the true gentleman that he was. There were reporters lining the walkway into the house and when they saw the famous theatre family making their way up, they immediately swarmed towards them. Meena stiffened nervously, still nervous in the face of the press, but Johnny just tightened his arm around her waist and pushed past the reporters easily. Meena smiled up at him gratefully and amidst the flash of cameras he leaned over and placed a comforting kiss on her cheek.

The comforting effect served to drown out the now frantic press as Johnny led a smiling Meena into the mansion where everyone else was waiting. Neither of them noticed the slim gazelle glaring up at the couple as she gripped her camera in her hands. Her glare morphed into a devious grin and she slipped through the crowd towards a back entrance.

Inside the mansion Buster was gleefully introducing his performers to various socialites, including a few movie stars. Finally the mayor himself joined their little group and began to chat with Buster and Johnny. By this time Gunther and Eddie had snuck off to the snack table while Rosita and Norman were twirling around on the dance floor. So as Johnny and Buster talked with the mayor, Meena and Ash secured glasses of champagne from one of the servers.

They had been there about an hour when the mayor suggested that Johnny go check the piano he had set up for the evening. Johnny agreed and before he left he leaned over and gave Meena a quick kiss on the cheek.

"I'll be right back love." He said and then he and Buster followed the mayor to a small stage. Meena watched him go and turned back to Ash to finish the conversation about guitar brands that they had been having. However, before she could even open her mouth to say anything a pretty gazelle with a tape recorder in one hand an camera in the other appeared in front of her and Ash. Startled, Meena jumped slightly and then gave the gazelle a wary smile. Ash just frowned as she looked over the mysterious woman. She was petite and pretty but Ash could see that her smile was forced and her brown eyes were hard.

"Well hello there, you must be Meera?" Her sugary sweet voice was almost too nice and every one of Ash's quills stood on end as soon as she mispronounced Meena's name. She couldn't be sure but she was pretty certain that she had done it on purpose.

"Um it's Meena actually." Meena timidly corrected her but the gazelle just laughed it off and moved closer to them.

"Well Meera, I just thought that I should come over and introduce myself seeing that we have one thing in common. Ash crossed her arms over her chest and glared at the gazelle when she mispronounced Meena's name yet again but she went ignored as the gazelle went on.

"My name is Carol Antlerson and I-" Before she could get out whatever she was trying to say Ash interrupted, a smug grin pasted on her face.

"Oh I know you. You write for that dishrag of a magazine, Gossip Gal." She grinned when the gazelle stiffened and forced another smile over at Ash before turning back to Meena.

"That's me." She laughed awkwardly and when Meena and Ash just looked at each other in confusion she kept on talking.

"Anyways. I heard that you and Johnny Bannerton are a thing now." She said 'thing' like it was the most disgusting word she could think of. Ash's eyes narrowed and Meena looked around nervously, wishing that she was anywhere else.

"Um yes we-" Meena stuttered out but Carol decided to interrupt her with the bombshell she had eagerly been waiting to drop.

"Well I wish you luck. Maybe you'll last longer than he and I did. That really was the best year of my life." She laughed breathily as Meena's face went paler than Ash had ever seen it. Her fury was trumped by the deep concern she suddenly had as Meena gaped at the smirking gazelle.

"Y-you and J-Johnny... a year?" She stuttered out and Carol grinned maliciously as she watched the elephant flounder for words.

"You know it really surprises me that Johnny is dating a girl...well...like you." She gave Meena a toothy smile and Ash shook with fury.

"What the hell do you mean by that?!" She tried to come to Meena's aid but it only seemed to make everything worse as the gazelle took her outburst as a queue to lay out all of the differences between her and Meena.

"Well I mean look at us darling. I'm small and you're so...big. I have nothing against larger mammals of course but I never thought Johnny would supersize after me." She giggled at her own joke as Meena began to shake slightly next to Ash, who stood gaping at the Carol's audacity.

"And I mean are you really sure about that dress because that cut...well it's not quite flattering on a figure like yours. And green is definitely not your color. I on the other hand look absolutely fabulous in this little pink number if I do say so myself." She giggled maliciously as she did a little twirl for them.

"Oh and when it comes to the spotlight I'm not shy about performing for an audience. I have a wonderful voice you know, Johnny always used to tell me. He loved my confidence and my voice." She patted Meena's shoulder lightly and pasted on a fake sympathetic look, "But I'm sure he likes your lack of confidence too sweetie."

Meena opened and closed her mouth but nothing but a tiny squeak came out and her eyes began to fill with tears. Ash decided in that moment that enough was enough and Meena obviously couldn't defend herself against this harpy. But Ash had plenty of experience with prissy girls like her. She stepped forward, using her tiny body as a makeshift shield for her friend to hide behind.

"Listen bitch. Johnny dumped you for a reason and I'm pretty sure it's because you're a petty little brat who attacks people for no reason. Now..." she plucked a quill out of her back and pointed it at the startled gazelle, "I suggest you get out of my face and stay away from my friends. Capisce?"

She stuck the quill in the gazelle's leg for emphasis and she gave Ash a dirty look before stomping away, her hands clenched tightly on her equipment. Ash turned around to comfort Meena and found her friend standing right where she had left her, her face securely shielded by her ears as fat tears streamed out of her eyes and stained her cheeks.

Ash grabbed her hand and pulled her off of the dance floor and into a empty room off to the side of the dance hall. Meena collapsed into a chair just as deep sobs began to wrack her body.

Ash hovered over her nervously, unsure how to comfort her friend. She settled for pulling her into a tight hug. Meena huddled against her and tried to halt her sobs with to no avail. Ash rubbed her back but when nothing had changed after a few minutes she pulled back and looked into Meena's bloodshot eyes.

"I'm gonna go find Johnny." She said soothingly and dashed out of the room, searching desperately for the familiar form of her roommate. When she found him next to the stage, chatting with the mayor she hurried over and grabbed him by the sleeve.

"Ash? Wot-?" He was cut off as she yanked him away, practically dragging him across the dance hall towards the room where she had left Meena. When they reached the door

Ash opened it and shoved him into the room before following him and slamming the door behind him.

Before Johnny could question Ash about her odd behavior he heard sobbing coming from behind him. He spun around and as soon as he saw that Meena was the one sobbing into her hands all of his attention was on her.

He gathered her into his arms and she cried into his chest as he stroked her back soothingly.

"Ash wot 'appened?" He said quietly as he kissed the top of Meena's head.

"Some bitch named Carol Antlerson showed up, said she dated you for a year, called Meena fat, antisocial, a bad singer and insulted her dress!" Ash felt her blood start to boil as she remembered what that gazelle had said to Meena.

Johnny growled at the thought and then sighed deeply as he realized the damage that Carol had caused in the minutes that he had been gone. He gently lifted Meena's head so that she was looking him in the eyes. He wiped away a few tears but they were quickly replaced by more.

"Oh love. Ya can't believe what that girl said. Ya are the most beautiful, talented, and amazing animal that I 'ave ever met." He stroked her cheeks and Meena looked up at him with uncertainty in her eyes.

"B-but she-" Johnny cut her off before she could say another word.

"Is a vindictive, cold-'earted, lonely bitch. An' I dropped 'er the moment I realized tha'. Ya 're nothin' loike 'er and that's wot I love abaht ya." He whispered and Meena smiled for a second before it faded back into sadness. She ran her hand over the material of her dress and let out a heavy sigh.

Hearing those words from Johnny was enough to stem the flow of her tears but her sadness still haunted her gaze like a ghost that won't be banished. Carol had stirred up all of her insecurities in one go, as if she knew all of Meena's fears. They wouldn't settle back down so easily.

Johnny frowned when she refused to look at him. He wracked his brain for some way to help but came up with nothing, even Ash looked completely lost. He glanced at a nearby clock and thought to himself _'almost time for my song'._

"My song!" He suddenly gasped and leapt to his feet gleefully. Both girls looked up at him in confusion but Johnny didn't stop to explain as he gently pulled Meena to her feet and began leading her towards the stage. Ash followed close behind, keeping her eye out for a certain unwanted reporter.

When they got to the stage he sat Meena on the piano bench and then gathered the other band members to discuss the change in song. When he was ready he sat next to Meena and signaled the mayor to introduce them.

The mayor gave him a puzzled look but announced their performance anyways. Every eye in the room was on them in that moment and Meena felt herself start to panic. Before she could hyperventilate Johnny gently positioned her face so she was looking away from the crowd and at him instead. With a secret smile he began to play.

 _Oh, her eyes, her eyes_

 _Make the stars look like they're not shinin'_

 _Her hair, her hair_

 _Falls perfectly without her trying_

 _She's so beautiful_

 _And I tell her everyday_

 _Yeah_

He looked at her as he sang, that smile still perched on his face. Meena turned bright red immediately and tried to look away from him but he pulled her gaze back up to his.

 _I know, I know_

 _When I compliment her she won't believe me_

 _And it's so, it's so_

 _Sad to think that she don't see what I see_

 _But every time she asks me, "Do I look okay?"_

 _I say,_

Meena saw the brief sadness in his eyes as he sang and for a moment she wished that she could see what she looked like through Johnny's eyes. Maybe this song was the best way for him to communicate that. She took a deep breath and a small smile began to bloom on her face as he sang to her.

 _When I see your face_

 _There's not a thing that I would change_

 _'Cause you're amazing_

 _Just the way you are_

 _And when you smile_

 _The whole world stops and stares for a while_

 _'Cause, girl, you're amazing_

 _Just the way you are._

 _Yeah_

Meena couldn't fight the feeling as her smile began to grow and the blush faded. He was drawing her in with his words and the sincerity in his eyes. It gave her an indescribable feeling to know how he felt about her. That she was special to him.

 _Her lips, her lips_

 _I could kiss them all day if she'd let me_

 _Her laugh, her laugh_

 _She hates but I think it's so sexy_

 _She's so beautiful_

 _And I tell her everyday,_

The crowd watching them started to fade away as Meena became absorbed in the song and the negative emotions began to fade away. Rationally she had no reason to doubt his feelings for her but she couldn't help but feel inadequate. In this moment, however, she felt like the most beautiful animal in the world.

 _Oh you know, you know, you know_

 _I'd never ask you to change_

 _If perfect's what you're searching for_

 _Then just stay the same_

 _So don't even bother asking if you look okay_

 _You know I'll say,_

When Johnny saw the smile returning to her face he grinned and began to sing louder and with more passion. His goal was to make her feel like nothing could touch her because in his eyes she was beyond perfect.

 _When I see your face_

 _There's not a thing that I would change_

 _'Cause you're amazing_

 _Just the way you are_

 _And when you smile_

 _The whole world stops and stares for a while_

 _'Cause, girl, you're amazing_

 _Just the way you are_

In the crowd Ash grinned and gave Johnny a thumbs up even though he couldn't see it. She was terrible at cheering people up but in this case she knew that she had made the right decision in getting Johnny. Those two were meant to be and she wasn't going to let anyone mess with them.

 _The way you are_

 _The way you are_

 _Girl, you're amazing_

 _Just the way you are_

As Johnny slowed down the song and Ash hoped that he was finally convincing Meena that she was beautiful because her best friends deserved to be happy.

Out of the corner of her eyes she caught sight of a flash of pink as Carol moved to the front and glared at the couple, watching with disdain as Johnny serenaded Meena.

Grinning mischievous Ash pulled a quill out of her back and snuck through the crowd until she was standing behind the gazelle, poised and ready for her attack.

 _When I see your face_

 _There's not a thing that I would change_

 _'Cause you're amazing_

 _Just the way you areh_

 _And when you smile_

 _The whole world stops and stares for a while_

 _'Cause, girl, you're amazing_

 _Just the way you are_

As Johnny finished his song the crowd erupted into cheers and Ash jabbed the pointy end of her quill into the gazelle's butt. She let out a shrill screech and jumped away, creating enough of a diversion for Ash to slip away. Carol screamed in frustration when no one admitted to poking her and began ranting that no one at the party was worthy of her and how she would see them all in hell. Before she could get much further two burly bears appeared and carried her out of the party.

Meena and Johnny watched the whole exchange in amusement and When she was gone Johnny leaned forward and kissed Meena, softly, slowly and passionately.

"Was tha' enough proof for ya?" He asked teasingly and Meena giggled happily, the only evidence of her sadness was the slight redness in her eyes.

"I might need a little more." She whispered and pulled him in for another kiss.


	38. Locking Lips

Meena stood in front of the mirror in her room and critically examined the outfit that she had chosen for her date with Johnny. She was wearing ripped jean shorts, a purple floral top, and her favorite pink converse. She adjusted her top slightly and nodded to herself when she was finally satisfied with what she saw. Meena was ready very early because she had been so eager to spend time with her boyfriend, so she sat down on her bed to wait for Johnny to pick her up.

She picked up a teen magazine that her mother had given her from her last trip to the grocery store. She flipped through the pages until she reached the article that she had been obsessing over since her mother had handed her the magazine.

 _Kissing Tips for the Inexperienced Animal_

She practically knew the article word for word by now but she skimmed it over again in her desperation. She had never had a serious boyfriend like Johnny before and the older gorilla was too handsome and charming not to have experience with women. She had to be able to keep up with him, or at least she had convinced herself that was the case. She had never properly kissed a boy and the longer she and Johnny went without kissing the more she fretted over it.

Everyone told her that her first kiss was supposed to be magical and perfect so the pressure was immediately on. She researched teen magazines, practiced on her pillow, and even sent Johnny the signals that the magazines told her would guarantee a kiss. And yet every opportunity for a kiss, Johnny kissed her on the cheek, the forehead, her hand, anywhere except for the one place that she wanted. Meena groaned and dropped the magazine so that it covered her face.

At first she thought it was because he wasn't attracted to her but he called her beautiful and continued to ask her out every week, so it couldn't be that.

Then she thought it was because he wasn't noticing her signals. The theory seemed sound until she tried fumbling with her keys waiting for him to kiss her goodnight. His eyes had brightened and he had leaned forward, but at the last minute he pulled back and kissed her cheek. He definitely saw the signal. Johnny definitely noticed the signals.

So with the 'when' still a mystery she began to worry about the 'how'. She knew that elephants had a special way of entwining their trunks as a kiss but Johnny wasn't an elephant. She searched high and low for information but apparently this wasn't a widely discussed topic so she was left to trouble shoot it by herself.

When her mother found her twenty minutes later she was still laying on her bed, her face covered by the magazine as she mumbled to herself.

"Meena honey? Johnny is here to pick you up." She raised her eye ridge in concern as she examined her daughter. Meena leapt up off of her bed, the magazine plopping onto the floor seconds after she dashed out into the hall. Leslie stood in the doorway, staring at the empty space where her daughter had been just a moment ago. She shook her head with a laugh and grabbed Meena's forgotten faded yellow purse and followed her daughter down to the front door where she was desperately searching for her bag while Johnny affectionately watched from the doorway.

"Meena. Ya goof." She chuckled and gave her daughter her purse. Meena just gave her and excited smile and in the blink of an eye the two animals were heading down the front walk. Leslie watched them as Johnny wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her close. For some reason she had a feeling that tonight would be a big night. She shrugged it off and closed the front door and headed back to the living room.

Johnny opened the truck doer for Meena with an exaggerated bow that made Meena giggle as she climbed into the car. Johnny closed the door behind her and a minute later they were off into the night. Meena gasped in delight when fifteen minutes later they were pulling into a drive-in movie. Not only were drive in movies super fun and intimate, they were also one of the top make out destinations.

She bounced nervously in her seat as they ordered food and drinks and then drove to their assigned spot. The field darkened and the old detective movie began to roll on the big screen. They snacked for a little bit, finishing off their food before Johnny boldly wrapped his arm around her shoulder and guided her form so that it was cuddled up against his, her head pillowed comfortably on his chest.

Meena was no longer paying attention to the movie because the frantic pounding of her heart in her chest was demanding all of her attention. This was it. This was the moment that she had been waiting for since they had started dating. They were going to kiss.

But when she leaned her head up to press her lips against his, Johnny's gaze was glued to the screen. She waited a few minutes for him to make a move, but when he did nothing else but stroke her side idly with his fingers, she decided it was time for her to take action.

For the first time in her life, Meena was going to confront someone about her feelings. Instantly her palms became sweaty and her cheeks reddened slightly as if her body was preparing for the imminent shame.

She pulled out of Johnny's embrace, a move that yanked his attention away from the movie to her. He gave her a look that held a mixture of confusion and concern and Meena almost gave up but something in her insisted that she stand firm.

She intended to lead into the question, to open with small talk about kissing or dating, or something smooth like that. The moment she opened her mouth all of that flew out the window and she blurted out her burning question.

"Why won't you kiss me?" It all came out in a rush and Johnny's eyebrows jumped skyward as he tried to decipher the mush that flew out of her mouth.

"Um... wot didja say?" He finally asked sheepishly and Meena felt her cheeks go redder as she was forced to repeat herself.

"I s-said... um I mean I asked... b-but why won't you um... kiss me?" She balled nervously and this time Johnny's expression morphed to affectionate amusement.

Meena felt mortified as soon as he let a chuckle escape. She felt like she could just melt into a puddle right then and there and that would be just fine. Instead she was forced to endure this situation.

Instead of continuing to laugh Johnny cupped her face and made her look at him. It was only then that she saw the affection in his brown eyes.

"I knew that ya would catch on soon enough." He chuckled to himself again before his expression softened.

"I shouldn't 'ave assumed that ya wouldn't figure it all aht." He stroked her cheek and lovingly gazed into her confused baby blues.

"What?" She managed to get out and he leaned forward so she could see the subtle blush coloring his cheeks.

"Just lemme show ya." He breathed out as he leaned in, his lips diving in towards hers. Every tip Meena had read went flying out the window and she sat there, frozen and unsure how to help him facilitate a kiss.

Johnny smiled understandingly when she froze up on him and he peppered kisses all over her cheeks in an attempt to get her to relax. Meena relaxed slightly under his ministrations but she remained unsure of what to do. She decided that now was the time to come clean.

"Johnny I-I've never um...well you know... kissed anyone before." She mumbled and Johnny's eyes widened in surprise. However he didn't say anything about her lack of experience, which shocked Meena. He only surprised her further with the next words out of his mouth.

"Lift yer trunk a lil' bit love." He said quietly and waited as Meena stared at him in shock. She lifted her trunk slightly as Johnny pulled her closer, automatically angling his head so that when they were close enough she wrapped her trunk around his shoulders and his lips were centimeters away from hers.

"Ready?" He asked breathlessly and Meena could only nod slightly in confirmation before he surged forward and they were kissing.

It wasn't perfect and the mood wasn't what she pictured after he had to direct her but it was infinitely more special than she ever would have imagined. It was messy and kind of awkward but she could feel how much he cared for her in how he kissed her with passion and abandon. Her eyes automatically slid closed and she savored every single minute of it.

When he pulled away and they both stared at each other in amazement Meena felt like her heart might burst in her chest.

"I was waitin' because I wanted ter savor the kiss with ya. I'm glad I did because it jus' made **that** kiss all the more amazin'." He said breathlessly and Meena's cheeks turned cherry red. He chuckled and gathered her back into his arms so that they were once again cuddled in his truck.

They sat in silence, savoring each other's embrace until Meena hesitantly broke the silence.

"Can we um... can we do it again?" She asked and Johnny's eyes widened in pleasant surprise at her forwardness. She looked up at him and the look in those baby blues sent his heart into a tizzy.

"Oh yeah." He leaned down and captured her lips like he would never let them go again.


	39. Sun Burnt

When Meena Jones finally pulled up to the beach in her grandfather's old beat up Lincoln Town Car she was practically bouncing in excitement. When Buster had organized this little barbeque on the beach she had been so excited that she packed her bag for the beach days in advance. She didn't have a huge selection of swimsuits but she spent at least an hour trying them on and selecting her favorite. She had dropped her mom off at the diner with a kiss and a promise to pick her up at ten so that she could keep the car and then drove as fast as she dared to the beach.

She prectically leapt out of the car, gathering her bag and rushing towards the thin wisp of smoke that was originating from the grill. Once she hit the sand she slipped off her flip flops and dashed towards where her friends were gathered around a few beach chairs and a grill. As she neared her friends soft beach music reached her ears and the sweet smeel of barbeque filled the air. When she reached the beach chairs Ash was laying out on one of the chairs, safely ensconced in the shade of a nearby umbrella. Her face was buried in a book but surprisingly she was wearing a black and red bikini instead of her usual long-sleeve shirt and skinny jeans. Her dreadlocks had been pulled up in a large ponytail and she was wearing big, black, rounded sunglasses.

When Meena arrived she set down her book and stood with a lazy groan. Once she had finished stretching she pulled Meena into a quick hug and the two girls began to chat aimlessly. As they talked Meena set down her bag and nervously fiddled with the clothes that concealed her bathing suit before deciding that she could wait a little longer to reveal her suit.

She looked around and saw Rosita and Norman running around with their kids by the water. The five little hooligans were running around splashing in the waves, building sand castles and burying each other. Meena giggled affecionately as she watched the adorable little troublemakers keep their parents busy. Buster was manning the grill, whistling to himself as he flipped the burgers and turned over hot dogs. Eddie and Ms. Crawly were laying side by side in beach chairs, snoring loudly and in sync. Finally, way out in the distance two figures were sitting on surf boards waiting for a good wave. She could only assume that it was Johnny and Gunther because upon receiving his invitation to the beach Mike had sneered and said he wouldn't be caught dead there.

At the thought of Johnny her mocha colored skin flushed slightly. She looked back and found Ash smirking at her knowingly. Meena just shrugged and fiddled with her shirt. Before Ash could make a comment about her obvious attraction to Johnny she slowly took off her shirt and shorts, revealing her favorite purple bathing suit. It hugged her body in all of the right places and was amazingly comfortable.

"Nice suit." Ash commented as she stood up and began leading the way to the ocean. The two girls ambled down the beach over to Rosita and Norman who were taking a break while the kids took turns burying each other. They watched as Norman leaned over and gave Rosita an affectionate kiss on the cheek. Meena felt her heart flutter at the absolute cuteness of the scene in front of her but the peacefulness of the scene was quickly broken when two of Rosita's boys ran over to Ash and Meena and began throwing balls of wet sand at the two girls. Ash got hit in the leg and Meena was struck directly in the stomach. She faked falling down to the ground and dying, calling for Ash to avenger her. Ash grinned as she grabbed two handfuls of sand and began chasing after the piglets.

Meena watched them go and Rosita appeared next to her to help her up off of the ground. The short round woman did her best to heave her curvy figure into an upright position once more. Meena valiantly tried to brush wet sand off of her body but the stubborn substance clung to her like glue.

"Hi sweetie." Rosita said cheerfully and pulled her into a tight hug, "I'm so glad you could make it today. It's gonna be so much fun." Her grin grew impossibly wider and Meena gave her an affecionate squeeze before pulling away from her embrace. Almost like a magnet her gaze was once more drawn to the two forms sitting on surf boards in the middle of the ocean. Rosita followed her gaze and shook her head in exasperation.

"I wish those two boys had put on some sunscreen before they headed out there, but noooo I'm just being overprotective." She mumbled to herself, making Meena giggle happily.

"How long have they been out there?" She asked curiously as she watched Johnny effortlessly ride a huge wave. She only half heard Rosita's response.

"About an hour or more I think." Rosita puzzled over for it for a second and then her attention was stolen as her children cane back for vengeance with more wet sand globs. This time, however, Ash was attacking along with then, an evil grin on her face. Meena and Rosita tried their best to defend themselves but they were outnumbered and quickly covered in sand. A truce was called after Rosita decided enough was enough and scolded her children, including Ash, with her mom voice. The kids ran off to tackle their father as soon as the scolding ended. Ash quickly rinsed off in the ocean and trekked back to the chairs where Buster had roused Eddie and Ms. Crawly and was serving food.

Meena slowly waxed into the ocean, savoring the feel of the warm water as each wave washed over her hot skin. She dipped under the water for a second, submerging her dark curls in the warm sea water. When she emerged, dripping with water and she tossed her head, trying to shake out her thick locks. She looked up and jumped slightly in surprise when she found Johnny staring at her as he leaned casually on his surfboard. His chiseled, tan chest was gleaming with sweat and ocean spray and his black hair was tousled by the wind.

Meena walked out of the ocean and up to him, her heart pounding in her chest.

"Hey Johnny." She tried to say as suavely as possible, but it just sounded dorky to her.

"Um 'ey Meena. Ya look nice today." He seemed flustered which instantly made her feel more comfortable.

"Thanks so do you." She tried not to linger her gaze on his green swim trunks and only gave them a slight glance before her gaze shot back up to his face.

Johnny smiled crookedly and opened his mouth to say something else but he was cut off by Ash's voice as she called out to them from the grill where everyone else was waiting.

"Hey you two! Hurry up or I'm gonna eat your food." She called out and Johnny and Meena exchanged an amused look before hurrying over to where everyone else was eating. They loaded up their plates and grabbed two beach chairs, effectively securing their food from Ash's bottomless stomach and joining the circle.

They sat around joking for about an hour, the sun beating down on them the entire time. After lunch Rosita wrangled her children and began rubbing sunscreen on the pale freckled skin that they had inherited from her. Once they were all lathered up she released them and went after Johnny, who was showing off his surf board to Meena and Ash.

Rosita snuck up behind him and slapped a sunscreen-covered hand onto his back. Johnny jumped away and turned to face her, crouched in a ready stance. Rosita adopted a similar stance and the two faced off while Meena and Ash watched.

"Johnathon. Bannerton. You will come here and let me put sunscreen on you or so help me..." she left the sentence hanging, her mom voice making all of the young people present straighten up reflexively. Johnny's expression tightened in slight fear but he held steady in his stance. With a yell Rosita launched her small but formidable body at him, sending the startled guy to the ground. They wrestled for a minute before Johnny scrambled away and took off running down the beach. Rosita leapt to her feet and darted after him, moving faster than anyone had ever seen her move before. When Johnny looked back and saw her hot on his heels he sped up and ran for the water at full speed. Just as he was about to launch himself into the water Rosita leapt through the air like a ninja and tackled him into the ocean. Johnny hit the water with an audible slap that made everyone watching flinch reflexively, yet no one came to his aid.

Eventually Rosita stomped back to shore in a huff while Johnny watched from farther out in the water. She sent him a glare before returning to her sunny expression and her lounge chair where Norman was patiently waiting to be sun screened up. Everyone watching looked at the portly man and hole just shrugged, still smiling.

"It's best to just let her have her way." He said and then everyone scattered to put on sunscreen as Rosita neared the group. Even Meena, who never burned, lathered her skin in sunscreen.

About twenty minutes later Johnny felt that he was safe enough to return to land and he cautiously approached Meena and Ash. Rosita paid him no mind as she sat in the sand with her children making a huge sandcastle.

"Anyone wanna play some volleyball?" Johnny asked eagerly as he retrieved a volleyball from his backpack.

Meena, Ash, Eddie, Buster and Gunther agreed to play and they all began setting up a makeshift court by drawing lines in the sand. When it was finished the split into two teams. Johnny, Buster and Gunther and Ash Meena and Eddie.

Thus began a truly epic game of volleyball filled with needless dives into the sand, many losses of the volleyball, and so much laughter that no one could keep score. By the time they decided to call it quits the court had been destroyed and they were all laughing through their panting breaths. They stumbled back to the chairs to rest and Johnny collapsed on his designated chair. Because he was the most athletically inclined on his team he spent most of the game attempting to score until he gave up and played silly. As a result he was exhausted enough that all he could do was roll over onto his back, put on sunglasses, and go to sleep.

His soft snores made Meena giggle but after grabbing a soda she joined Ash in a walk along the beach. The two walked up and down the beach, playing in the waves and looking for exotic shells. Meena stumbled up a beautiful conch by accident and eagerly carried it back to the beach site to show everyone. By now the sun had started to set and the last couple days were reaching out over the horizon. When they got back to camp Buster and Norman were starting a bonfire while Rosita set up a snores station.

Unsurprisingly, Meena volunteered to go get Johnny so he could join them. Ash rolled her eyes as she dashed away but her smile gave away that her annoyance was affectionate in her own way.

When Meena found Johnny he was still passed out on the beach chair with his sunglasses on. Meena reached out to shake him awake and then pulled her hand back with a gasp. Every inch of visible skin was as red as a tomato.

"Johnny...Johnny!" She whispered, trying to hold back her giggles. He jerked awake and sat up quickly, looking around for the source of his name. When he saw Meena a sleepy smile spread across his face and he took off his sunglasses so he could wink at her.

Unfortunately this only made Meena laugh harder when he revealed the obvious sunglasses marks on his face.

"Wot's so funny?" He asked, confused but Meena couldn't say anything through her giggles. He waited slightly impatiently until she calmed down and was looking down at him with mirth filled eyes.

"Oh Johnny...Oh I'm so sorry but you look so funny..." she giggled but quickly schooled her face when he gave her another confused look.

"Wot do ya mean?" He frowned and Meena grabbed her phone so he could see himself in the front-facing camera.

"Johnny, your entire body is sunburnt." She said as solemnly as possible. Johnny gaped at the red face that stared back at him on her screen and looked up at her, still in shock.

"But...But I never get sun burnt." He whimpered and then hissed in pain when his hand slapped against his reddened stomach.

"You should have listened to Rosita." Meena admonished him but the look didn't last long as an idea occurred to her and she hurried over to rifle through her bag. Johnny watched her bemusedly but his eyes lit up with recognition when he saw the bottle she was returning with. This blue substance would save his ass.

He eagerly took the aloe gel from her and began lathering the entire front of his body with it. Cautiously Meena walked around behind him to see if he had been burned on the back too. What she found was a sea of red on his back, only broken up by his waist line and a single, tiny handprint impression.

Meena snorted as she desperately tried to hold back her laughter, trying to preserve at least a small amount of his dignity. Johnny stiffened and turned his head to catch her gaze, his eyes filled with an empty hope that his back had been spared. Meena shook her head and Johnny hung his head in disappointment. When he finally had the courage to look up he gestured to his back and then the bottle, his cheeks suddenly even redder.

"Could ya...could ya put this on my back?" He asked haltingly and Meena's giggled immediately disappeared as her heart began to pound loudly in her chest.

"S-sure." She stuttered out and accepted the bottle from him. Shakily she squeezed some aloe onto her hand and began to spread it over his back. Johnny moaned aloud as a pain that he hadn't even been aware of was soothed by Meena and the magical blue gel. Meena's heart almost stopped when he moaned but she kept spreading the aloe until his entire back was covered. Reluctantly she pulled her hand away from his warm smooth skin and stepped back.

"Whelp. That's everything." Johnny got up and grabbed a jacket, delicately sliding it over his reddened skin.

"Thanks Meena." He said sheepishly and when she went to hurry past him and towards the bonfire he reached out a hand to gently grip her hand. She stopped in her tracks and breathlessly turned around to face him. His eyes were wide just like hers and his hand was sweaty but he was still smiling that adorable crooked smile that set him at an advantage.

"Wahn more thing." He looked down and then back at her, "Could we keep the whole sun burn thing between us? I daan't think I can 'ankle Rosita's 'I told ya so' right nah."

Meena's breath suddenly flowed back into her and she relaxed slightly. She squeezed his hand slightly in reassurance and then smiled brightly up at him.

"Sure thing Johnny. Just us." She promised and just when she thought she would escape without embarrassing herself Johnny leaned in and bestowed a gentle kiss on her cheek. Meena froze and gaped up at him for a second, her expression causing him to chuckle quietly. Slowly she shook herself out of it and managed to walk with him to the bonfire where they joined Ash in the beach chairs that she had saved for them.

Ash looked over at Meena teasingly and elbowed her in the side playfully.

"Hey Meena, why are you so red? Didja get sunburned?" But Meena remained silent, her entire face bright red.


	40. Naked and Afraid

The day started out perfectly with the sun glinting off of the water and a slight breeze dancing across the waves. Johnny dove into the water with a loud splash and inwardly he sighed in relief as the cool water soothed his overheated skin. When he broke the surface Meena and Ash were running into the water behind him, laughing and smiling widely. Johnny froze for a second as he watched Meena in what seemed to be slow motion. Her curvy figure was clad in a purple one piece bathing suit and her curly hair was pulled back into a secure braid courtesy of Rosita. Her mocha skin glistened with a combination of sweat and salt water and her blue eyes were lit up with happiness. His attention was so focused on Meena that he didn't see Ash giving her a playful shove until Meena was flying towards him.

Johnny held out his arms reflexively and caught her, sending both of them back into the salty depths. They burst up out of the water, sputtering slightly while Ash struggled to keep her balance through her intense laughter. Johnny found himself with his arms wrapped around Meena's waist as she rested her arms around his neck. He gaped at her as she looked down at him, her cheeks flushed with surprise and something else that he couldn't quite place.

They quickly pulled away from each other when they realized the nature of their embrace. Ash finally recovered from her uncontrollable laughter and waded over to where they were awkwardly looking anywhere but at each other. She rolled her eyes and pushed Johnny, sending him off balance so that he crashed back under the waves and pulled him out of his stupor. Meena and Ash began splashing each other vigorously, sending salt water flying.

Johnny popped up out of the water, not noticing that the drawstring that held the loose shorts up on his waist slipped undone with all of the vigorous motion. He waded through the water, splashing with all of his strength so that a wave of water washed over both girls. They stood there gaping at him for a few seconds before both girls began splashing him back with renewed fervor.

He laughed, trying to defend himself with his muscular arms to no avail. Eventually they calmed down and sat down on the sandy bottom in

Johnny chuckled and let out a roar as he launched himself to his feet and began pursuing the children through the waves. The water turned murky as their movement stirred up sand from the bottom. Johnny captured a couple kids and hefted them up over his shoulder like hunting prizes, roaring triumphantly.

The remaining kids grappled with his legs, trying to take him down, but Johnny just backed into the ocean to regain his balance. When the ocean passed waist level he released the children and stuck his tongue out at them triumphantly. By this time everyone else had gone up to the grill to get lunch so it was just Johnny and the kids in the ocean.

Rosita called out from the hill for them to come get food and the kids climbed off of Johnny and began the journey back to their mother. One child, however, stayed behind and swam behind Johnny, a devious grin dominating his face even under water. Casper Evans had a plan to get revenge on Big Brother Johnny for capturing and taunting them. He waited until the tall teen took a step forward before darting forward, grabbing the waistband of his trunks and tanking as hard as he could. The loose garment slid down to his ankles and sent Johnny face first into the water.

Casper chose this moment to take off after his siblings, cackling maniacally the entire way. Johnny popped up out of the water for what was beginning to feel like the millionth time that day. He was about to stand up when a wave washed over him and the cool current washed over something that definitely should not be exposed. He looked down to find his lower body completely exposed while his swim trunks dangled off of one of his ankles. Just as he was about to reach for them the outgoing current jumped into the fray and ripped the precious fabric right off of his body.

Johnny scrabbled back into deep water so that he could stand without revealing his sudden nudity. His heart pounded frantically in his chest and his tan face turned bright red in mortification.

His bad luck continued as he spun around, scanning the water for his swimsuit and coming up empty. He growled in frustration and slumped down into the water to pout.

A couple minutes later when he still hadn't found his trunks and was therefore still standing in the ocean, Meena began making her way down the beach with a plate in her hand. His heart immediately sunk to his toes and he pleaded with whatever dirty he could think of that he would find his trunks of she would turn around. He couldn't let Meena see him like this. He might actually die from embarrassment.

But the gods weren't listening and Meena completed her trek until she was standing at the shore, calling out to him and gesturing to the food-laden plate.

"Johnny! Get out of the water and come eat something." Meena called out and step by step she began to wade into the water where he was standing. Johnny panicked and quickly tried to diffuse the situation.

"Na! I-I'm good 'ere. I'm not really 'ungry." He tried and immediately cursed himself when Meena's expression changed to confusion and she began walking faster towards him.

"Johnny are you ok-?" She started to ask but Johnny frantically cut her off, waving his hands for her to stop. Thankfully she listened but the expression on her sweet face demanded an explanation. Johnny desperately wracked his brains for something that would scare her off until he could find his trunks.

"There's uh... There's a sea snake in the water over 'ere!" He blurred out and immediately regretted it when his brain connected the innuendo hidden behind his statement. Unfortunately Meena's expression did not change to fear but rather to curiosity. She took a step forward, her eyes bright and eager.

"Ooooh I wanna see!" She exclaimed and Johnny felt his face go impossibly red as his brain stuttered to a halt. He quickly recovered when Meena took a few more steps towards him. She wasn't aware of the real situation or the innuendo. He scolded himself but his brain still supplied some very x-rated images.

"Na! I mean 'old on. I daan't think that ya wanna see this particular snake." He kicked himself repeatedly as his mouth continued to spew innuendos.

"Why not?" Meena asked curiously and Johnny sputtered for some kind of explanation, but he came up with nothing. However, the universe wasn't done with him quite yet and Ash's voice rang out from the shoreline.

"Hey look what I found!" She called out and Johnny felt his soul die when he saw that she was swinging his swim trunks around in the air like it was a victory flag. He tried not to look at Meena but he couldn't resist a glance at her face. Her mouth was agape and her eyes were wide as she processed everything that had just happened and what she had almost walked into.

The moment Johnny looked at Meena his swim trunks sailed through the air and hit his face with a wet slap. He grunted in surprise and slight pain but the relief at having his clothes back overwhelmed anything else.

"Put some clothes on you pervert!" Ash screamed in laughter as she collapsed in the sand, rolling back forth as mirth overtook her. Johnny frowned and slipped on the pants, tying the strings into a double knot for security. The relief that he felt at finally being clothed again suddenly stopped when he saw Meena staring at him with an unreadable expression on her face.

"I can explain..." he started but honestly he had no idea how to tell the story without it sounding like a total lie. Suddenly Meena sent him a sexy smirk and raised one eyebrow.

"A sea snake huh?" Johnny's head felt ready to explode and his entire face was now cherry red. He couldn't help but wonder to himself what exactly he had done to deserve such luck from the universe.


	41. Sunrise Talks

Johnny woke up when the sound of waves crashing against the shore pulled him from sleep. He rolled over to pull his girlfriend closer but quickly found that the sheets on her side of the bed were cold and her side of the mattress was empty. Confused, and more awake than before, Johnny sat up and looked around the room for Meena. His search led him to the slight gap in their door where it had been left open. He slipped out of bed and crept out into the living room area of the beachhouse that they had rented for the week. The sun was just barely peeking over the horizon and the sliver of light illuminated the living room just enough for him to pick his way through Rosita's kids' sleeping bags and out to the front porch. Once he opened the doors he quickly found Meena leaning against the railing and sipping a cup of what he could only assume was hot chocolate. Meena refused to drink coffee and rather than conform to Ash and Johnny's deep love of caffeine she opted for hot chocolate.

He closed the door behind him and wrapped his arms around her curvy wasist, pulling her body back against his so that he could slowly kiss her neck. Meena jumped slightly when he embraced her but when she realized whose arms were holding her so tenderly she relaxed back into his embrace with a contented sigh.

"Mornin'." He mumbled into her soft mocha skin as he continued kissing whatever part of her that he could find. Meena giggled softly and resumed watching the sun rise over the water as the waves danced and rolled over the shore.

"Good morning." She whispered back and they swayed slowly to the rhythm of the ocean. When Meena didn't break the comfortable silence between them Johnnywas convinced that something was up. Smoothly he spun her around in his embrace until she was resting her head on his chest as he kissed her wayward curls, still tussled from sleep.

"Wot's that matter love?" He asked after they had been swaying their new position for a few minutes. Meena stiffened in his embrace for a few seconds before she relaxed again and let out a breathless laugh.

"I should have known that you would be able to sense it." She said quietly in response. Johnny just smiled softly and hugged her tighter in response. It was a couple more minutes before she spoke again, and this time her voice was thick with nostalgia, longing, and a cocktail of sadness.

"I was... Well I was thinking about my dad." She whispered and Johnny looked down at her in surprise. Ever since he had known Meena, they had never spoken about her father. She never brought it up and he never pushed for information, but he still wondered.

Her house was decorated with countless pictures of her family at every stage of their lives. Even Johnny was up there in a few pictures, but no matter how many times he looked through the collage he could never find a photo of the family member he was most curious about. The missing man was a mystery that he desperately wanted to solve but didn't have the courage to talk about. In this moment Johnny saw two opportunities: to learn about Meena's father and to provide whatever small comfort he could.

"Do ya wanna talk 'bout it?" He asked cautiously and when he didn't get an immediate response he considered giving up on this conversation and enjoying the sunrise with his girlfriend. But Meena surprised him when she took a deep, shuddering breath and hugged him tighter as she began to speak.

"I...I um didn't know him for very long." She started out slowly and Johnny silently let her know that he was listening with a kiss to her forehead. After another deep breath she continued with her halting story.

"He was a firefighter here in town and ever since I can remember he would come home covered in soot and with a cough but...his smile. His smile never went away." She stuttered slightly as emotion hit her like a tidal wave and a few tears escaped from her eyes. Johnny rubbed her back gently and they continued to rock back and forth just like the waves.

"I loved him so much." She whimpered through the thick tears and Johnny felt his heart ache for his beautiful girl as he tried to soothe her with his embrace.

"I kna baby." He whispered soothingly and she nodded against his chest as her hands gripped his t-shirt.

"My momma always said I got my voice from him." She chuckled slightly as memories that he couldn't see floated through her head, "He and I would sing all the time."

She took a watery breath, sniffling loudly against his chest. "The night he died... I had a talent show at my school. I was so excited that I couldn't...I could barely sit still in the car. My momma took me to the school and said Daddy would come later. She promised me that he wouldn't miss it, he would never miss me singing." Meena let out a sob that she had obviously been trying to hold back and shuddered in his arms. Johnny tightened his embrace and slowly kissed the top of her curls.

"We can stop if ya need ter." He said cautiously but Meena shook her head and let out a couple more sobs as she tried to gather herself enough to resume her story.

"When it was time for me to go on I walked out on stage and looked for my daddy but... his seat was empty and my momma was sitting there with tears in her eyes. In the back of the auditorium I saw all of my dad's firefighter buddies. I thought that he was back with them so I sang my little heart out and when I was done they all cheered for me." Johnny smiled sadly as he pictured the scene as she told it through her waning tears.

"When the show was over I ran out looking for my daddy but it was just his buddies and my momma. She looked so happy but sad at the same time. I...I asked her about Dad and she started crying. That's when I figured it out." She took another deep breath and pulled back from Johnny's chest slightly so that she could look up at him, "He died fighting an arson in an office high rise."

"I hadn't sang in public since that day and I lost my confidence in this world." Meena whispered and Johnny cupped her face in his hands so he could tenderly kiss her tear-stained cheeks, her eyelids, her rosy lips, her pain. He tried to kiss it all away and it seemed to work when he pulled back and looked down at her with a mix of sympathy and sadness. She gave him a weak smile but it was enough to pull a similar expression from his face. How could he frown when she smiled up at him like that?

"Thank ya get sharin' with me love." He whispered and all Meena could do was nod to show that she heard him. They hugged again and then he spun her around into a position where she was staring out at the blossoming sunrise and he was hugging her from behind. Meena sighed softly as the gentle breeze faded away her tear tracks and the bright light of a newborn day illuminated the young couple.

Johnny felt like he knew more about her and why she was the way she was today. Their connection had become deeper in those moments on the back porch, showered in salty sunlight. His love for the beautiful women in his arms was never stronger and he could almost see the man he never knew and his girlfriend never forgot standing next to him on that porch.

"Aht of curiosity..." His curiosity ran away with his mouth for the millionth time in his life, "Wot brought this up?"

He nuzzled Meena's neck through her curtain of messy hair almost as if he was hiding from his question. Meena, however, didn't seem to take offense at his question and instead she stared out at the sunrise bouncing off of the water and gently stroked his hand with her delicate fingers.

"I actually had a dream. He was watching me and he was trying to say something but I couldn't hear him so I ranto him. I never even got close but he seemed to know that. He just waved and blew me a kiss and then he was gone. They stayed silent for a little while longer before Johnny decided that she needed a little bit more comfort. Maybe he needed it too.

"I'm sure 'e's proud of ya love. 'E loves ya so much. I just kna that." He whispered and Meena's huge smile bloomed on her face like a rose. Except in his opinion, that simple expression was sweeter and all the more valuable. She was his world.

"Yeah. I think you're right." Meena said as the sun finally broke over the surface and began its ascent into the sky. The new day had begun and there to greet it was the melodious ocean, a young couple in love, and an old firefighter as he watched his daughter find happiness.


	42. Loving You is Easy

When she finally found the perfect spot Ash nearly screamed for joy. It was a smooth patch of sand nestled in between two palm trees, center stage to the ocean. She could see the scene in her mind's eye and it was perfect. A little candlelight, some nice food, romantic music, and this would be the perfect place to enact her plan.

She had been trying to get her two dunderhead best friends together for what felt like an eternity and when Buster had excitedly announced that they had all been invited to spend a week in a famous resort in Hawaii, she finally had her golden opportunity. The beach was one of the most romantic settings in the world in her opinion. Nothing would go wrong this time, she would make sure of it! Ash vowed to herself and then busily began setting up the little area for a long-awaited romantic rendezvous.

Two hours later as the sun was making its descent towards the horizon, effectively painting the sky with a myriad of fantastic colors, Ash stepped back and admired her handiwork. In that amount of time she had managed to convince the hotel staff to deliver food to the secluded beach spot, set up a lovely little picnic blanket surrounded by candles, and borrowed Gunther's boom box and a tape of classical romantic music. She had been surprised that the flamboyant pig even owned classical music but when she asked him for classic romantic music he had immediately procured the disk. Now, all that was left was to lure her favorite pair of idiots down to the spot, and then everything would be just like she planned: perfect!

Johnny was sitting in a hammock on the beach listening to his iPod as he swung back and forth gently. He was seconds away from sleep when his hammock suddenly stopped swaying and a folded-up piece of paper was placed in his chest. Johnny opened his eyes and look down at the note curiously but when there was no name on it he looked around for whoever had given it to him but there was no one else around except for one especially sunburnt man laying on a beach chair.

He shrugged in confusion and unfolded the piece of paper, quickly scanning the message. As soon as he finished reading it he fell out of his hammock as he scrambled frantically to get out of it. Once he was back on his feet he took off running down the sidewalk, speeding towards his hotel room.

Meena had just gotten out of the shower and was glancing over the room service menu when there was a knock at the door. She frowned in confusion but wrapped her robe tighter around her figure and answered the door anyways. When she opened the door the halls way was deserted except for a lone piece of paper on the floor in front of her door. Meena quickly grabbed it and then retreated into the room where she sat down on the bed and read the letter. As soon as she finished it she abandoned it on the bed and dove for her closet.

An hour later as the sun slowly began sliding down in the sky Meena nervously hurried to the spot that the note had indicated. When she got there the sight nearly took her breath away. Johnny was standing in the middle of an elaborate circle of flickering candles that surrounded a small blanket. His back was to her and his hands were nervously adjusting his messily spiked hair.

"Johnny?" She breathed quietly and he spun around with a look of joy. His big smile went slack as he gaped at her, his eyes glinting with awe. She was wearing a simple red sundress that fluttered in the breeze and accentuated all of the right curves. Her curly hair fell perfectly on her head, effectively framing her face.

Johnny was wearing a pair of khaki slacks and a Hawaiian shirt that he had bought at the gift shop when he realized that all of the rest of his clothes were in a desperate need of a wash. He was worried about what she would think of the shirt until he saw her and all thought flew out of his head.

 _Every morning when you come downstairs_

They stared at each other for a few minutes before Meena made the first move from the sidewalk into the sand where he was standing, frozen. She nervously played with her messy curls, twirling a single one around her finger.

"Sorry about my hair." She let out a breathless laugh and look down at the ground, "I-I didn't have time to do anything with it."

 _Hair's a mess but I don't care_

 _No makeup on and shining so bright_

"Nah it looks beautiful Meena." He gently traced a finger through her hair and down to her cheek where he gently lifted her face so that she was looking up at him. Their eyes met for too long and Johnny felt himself start to sweat nervously so he decided to diffuse the situation slightly.

"I mean look at this bugger of a shirt tha' I'm wearin'." He chuckled nervously but instead of making him feel more confident she managed to dazzle him again when she gave him that mesmerizing smile of hers as she let out a little giggle.

"I like it." She said sweetly as she smoothed out some imaginary crinkles and subtly ripped off a price tag.

 _My old sweatshirt never fit so right_

In the bushes nearby Ash sat cross-legged on the ground, surrounded by a boom box, a giant starbuck's coffee, some snacks, and her camera phone. She watched the adorable scene in front of her and for once in a long time, dared to hope that her scheme might work this time. Just when it Seemed like Johnny was about to do something the room service delivery cart appeared out of nowhere. Ash almost screamed in frustration when they jumped apart and watched with absolute confusion as the waiter set out every course as well as some fruity drinks like Meena loved.

The waiter left without a word and Ash breathed deeply as she tried to calm down. Slowly she convinced herself that there were other opportunities tonight and this little interruption was not a bad omen. She would come to regret even thinking that.

When she looked back at the couple they had settled down onto the blanket and were just starting to eat their dishes. Meena looked up from her plate and watched as Johnny hungrily ate his meal. When he finally looked up and noticed her watching him with those baby blues his appetite disappeared and his stomach began to tie itself into knots. His throat went dry so he reached for the cocktail that he had been given, hoping that the mysterious concoction would give him a dose of liquid courage. Immediately he felt a little bit better and he went back to eating the delicious meal that had been mysteriously provided for them.

 _Dancing around to the radio_

 _Humming the words that you don't know_

A few minutes later he began to sweat again and he unbuttoned one button on his shirt in hopes that it would cool him down. When that didn't work he took another sip of his drink, smacking his lips when the combination of tastes seemed to linger. He glanced over at Meena and frowned when he found her staring at him in concern, her meal abandoned.

"Wot's wrong?" He asked but his normally deep voice came out raspy. He frowned in confusion and Meena moved closer so that she could feel his forehead.

"Are you feeling okay? Your face is really red." She asked but this time when Johnny took a breath to reply he found that it was harder to breathe. Realization dawned on his eyes as his throat began to close up. All he got out was one word before his body began drawing panicked breaths.

"Bananas-!" Meena's eyes widened and she scrambled for the small purse that she had brought along with her. She pulled out an Epi-pen and pressed it through his pant leg and into his thigh. Slowly Johnny's breathing evened out and his death grip on the blanket loosened. When he opened his eyes Meena was staring down at him, her happy face scrunched up in concern.

 _Cross out finding an angel off my list,_

All he could think to say was: "Angel, why...why do ya have an epi-pen with ya?"

Meena's expression changed to one of amused exasperation as she let out a frightened laugh, her cheeks coloring simultaneously, "We're on a tropical getaway and you are a reckless man with an allergy to bananas. I did the math."

They both started laughing and Meena slowly helped Johnny sit up. Meanwhile, Ash was holding her chest where her heart was currently doing it's best impression of an out-of-control freight train. Shakily she looked back at the blanket where miraculously, Johnny was alive and they were both laughing. All she could think in that moment was: _Thank god for Meena._

At that point the dinner was set aside as Johnny slowly recovered and Meena fussed over him until he was confident enough to stand up and stretch, Meena watching him carefully. At that moment Ash still felt that the night was salvageable. It might even turn into a funny-cute getting together story. She pulled out the boombox and hit play, praying that at least this would work out the way that she imagined. Her prayers went unanswered as the boombox spewed out a country melody.

Ash stared at the boom box in horror as the soft classical music that she had been imagining went up in smoke. She peeked at the CD and groaned when she read Country Romance instead of Classical Romance. She was going to kill Gunther. In her absolute fury and almost obsessive need to go through with her master plan she sent a text to Gunther demanding that he bring the right Cd and then giving him instructions to get to her location without Johnny or Meena seeing him. After she hit send she turned back to watch her friends, her heart sinking in despair.

 _Thinking that it don't get no better than this_

To her surprise Johnny was straightening his horrifying shirt and offering a tentative hand to Meena. She took it shyly and Johnny boldly pulled her close until she was pressed up against him, a look of surprised pleasure on her face.

 _You make loving you easy_

 _You make loving you all I wanna do_

It was absolutely adorable that her best friend, the hopelessly horrifying dancer, was going to try and romance Meena with a dance to a country song. Her heart melted and she watched the two slowly sway and spin around to their own beat.

 _Every little smile, every single touch_

 _Reminds me just how much it all makes_

 _Loving you easy_

Meena savored the feeling of Johnny's arm around her waist as they swayed slowly in the sand, the sound of the waves mixing with the random country music in an oddly pleasant way. She closed her eyes and leaned into his touch contentedly. Johnny could practically feel the happiness coming off of Meena in waves and there was nothing like a near-death experience to give him some courage. Unfortunately it was the wrong type of courage because he began spinning them quicker and attempting more complicated dance moves.

 _Wrapped around me late at night_

Ash was watching Johnny try to spice up the dancing with trepidation when she heard footsteps behind her. She turned around and practically growled when she saw the entire theatre family standing behind Gunther as he triumphantly presented a new CD to her.

"I said bring me a CD not every person that you could find." She hissed at him as she gestured for them all to crouch in her tiny space. They barely fit and Ash wasn't happy about her new spectators, but she had quickly learned that these people were way too stubborn for her to convince them to leave. So she turned around resumed watching the adorably awkward dance that her friends were doing.

"So what are we doing?" Rosita broke the silence eagerly and Ash groaned inwardly.

"I am trying to get Meena and Johnny together with a romantic night on the beach." She gritted out and then shushed them. They whispered behind her but Ash was distracted by the imminent disaster that she couldn't prevent.

 _Pillow talk by candle light_

She winced when Johnny stumbled hugely on a step and backtracked into the intricate candle set up that had taken her forever. Thankfully he pulled Meena away, but one disturbed candle rolled over to the blanket and almost instantly lit the fabric on fire. They all watched mouths agape in shock as Meena screamed fire and Johnny dove for the blazing blanket. Somehow he managed to grab an untouched corner and threw it with all of his might into the sea.

 _Gonna slow this down and make it last_

 _The best things fly by us so fast_

The night air was filled with the smell of burnt cloth and the sizzling sound of the flames being put out by the tide. Meena and Johnny stood there staring at the sea in disbelief for a few minutes before almost hysterical laughter erupted from both of them. They pulled each other close, balancing on each other as their laughter and adrenaline made their legs weak.

Back in the bushes Ash just dropped her head into her hands and let out a heavy sigh.

"Haz it been like zis ze whole night?" Gunther asked incredulously from somewhere behind her but Ash didn't even lift her head to answer him.

"Pretty much." She groaned and looked up to make sure that they were still laughing before taking a large swig of her coffee.

"Maybe we should send them some champagne." Buster suddenly piped up, to Ash's annoyance. She opened her mouth to shut him down and suddenly Rosita jumped in.

"Or flowers! Oooo I love flowers." She gushed and they all began whispering excitedly.

"I think a fire extinguisher or maybe a paramedic might be a better idea." Eddie said sarcastically from the edge of the group. Normally Ash would appreciate his sarcasm but not when it was directed at her glorious plan. She spun around and leveled a death glare at them all, which made everyone fall silent. When Buster opened his mouth to say something once more she threateningly raised one finger to her lips and then shushed back around, Ash shook her limbs out, cracked her neck and the zeroed back in on her laughing friends. Their laughter had calmed down but they were still holding each other, their embrace slowly moving towards intimate territory.

"Wot a night yeah?" Johnny chuckled as his hands slowly ventured over Meena's waist and up towards her face. Meena gave him a dazzling smile and giggled adorably.

"I'll say." She giggled again and ran her hand over Johnny's back, fully aware that their embrace was far from just friendly. Her heart was pounding nervously but after everything that had happened that night her courage was running high. She reasoned with herself that Johnny wasn't protesting to her advances either. The signs were good.

 _You make loving you easy_

 _You make loving you all I wanna do_

Except that a sudden crack of thunder startled them apart. Meena looked around in amazement as she realized that the moon and the stars had disappeared rapidly under a large, dark cloud. In an instant it was pouring rain and they were soaked through. Johnny grabbed Meena and pulled her under the shelter of a nearby palm tree.

While Ash was cursing any dirty that would listen and trying to shelter her stuff from the rain, they were huddled under the tree.

 _Every little smile and every single touch_

Ash stubbornly watched the two forms huddled under the tree, Meena pressed so close to Johnny's chest that they almost seemed like one person. Johnny was painfully aware that every inch of Meena was currently pressed against him and his cheeks were enflamed with embarrassment. Meena wasn't any better with her entire face having gone red, but she was enjoying being nestled up against Johnny's chest. Suddenly that was her favorite place in the entire world. Johnny was hypersensitive to her every touch, everywhere her skin brushed against his, his entire body felt like it was on fire. He was enjoying the touch thoroughly until he felt another, unwelcome feeling on his neck.

 _Reminds me just how much it all makes_

Johnny practically launched them off of the tree and back into the rainstorm where he began doing a frantic jog to shake off the spiders that had been exploring his body. As soon as Meena saw the spiders she let out a piercing scream and scrambled as far away from the trees and Johnny as she could get. She ran desperately towards the ocean while Johnny wiggled around in the rain, groaning in disgust when spiders rained off of his clothes. Every hair on his body was standing on end when the rain suddenly stopped and he was left examine his soaked clothes for more of the little pests.

 _Oh, I wanna sing it again!_

Meena cautiously approached from where she had been hiding in the water's edge, her eyes wide and her voice trembling slightly.

"J-Johnny? Are they...are they gone?" She squeaked and once Johnny finished his self-examination he nodded. By the time she rejoined him by their dinner spot the rain cloud had disappeared as quickly as it had appeared. She awkwardly fiddled with the soaked folds of her dress while Johnny slicked back his ruined hair.

 _You make loving you easy_

 _You make loving you all I wanna do_

"Maybe we should ah...call it a night yeah?" He grumbled, disappointed at how at every turn this evening had turned into a disaster. Everything that could have remotely gone wrong had gone wrong. Either the universe had it out for him or this was a sign that he and Meena weren't meant to be.

"Yeah." Meena sighed heavily as she pushed her flattened curls out of her face, "I guess we should."

The two slowly began walking in separate directions, deep in thought and reluctant to leave.

Ash watched this morose exchange with mounting frustration. She seethed silently until her control finally broke and she threw her orange so hard that it splattered open on the concrete. She repressed a shout of rage but it just turned into a muffled demonic noise. Everything was ruined. Her hard work? Ruined. Her plans? Ruined. Her confidence in her matchmaking abilities? Ruined. She laid back in the sand and began cursing so colorfully under her breath that Rosita turned pink in shock and gaped down at the teenager.

On the beach, Johnny was staring sadly up at the moon as Meena got farther and farther away. Images of the night flashed through his mind and the most disappointing thing...was Meena's face when he suggested that they separate for the night. Realizing that he wasn't ready to call it quits just yet he spun around and called out to Meena, jogging through the thick sand to where she stood waiting for him.

He stopped right in front of her and grinned hugely, holding out his hand and hoping beyond hope that she felt the same magic that he did.

"Wanna go fer a walk?" He asked and Meena looked him over. He was panting, soaked, slightly burned and probably humiliated, but he was still giving her that look that made her feel like the only woman in the world. Slowly she smiled up at him and slipped her hand into his, her eyes practically shining with happiness.

"I'd love to."

 _Every little smile, every single touch_

 _Reminds me just how much it all makes_

"Ash!" Rosita's surprised whisper broke through her fury and she sat up, grumpily raising an eyebrow at the motherly blonde, "Look."

Ash sat up fully and watched with wide eyes as two familiar figures ambled down the beach, hand in hand.

 _Loving you easy, easy, easy_

Maybe the universe had their best interests in mind all the while. And maybe Ash had a little something to do with it. Whatever it was, their love, this whole plan, the whole night, suddenly seemed so easy.


	43. Fallen But Note Forgotten

When their car pulled up to the cemetery the soldiers were already lined up in perfect rows, their faces impassive and their bodies at full attention. Johnny watched as the first car with Max's parents came to a stop and gradually so did theirs. He rested his hand on the car door handle for what felt like an eternity, his mind at war with his heart as one tried to convince the other that all of this was actually happening, that this wasn't a dream. His hand brushed the cold metal of the door handle but his numb hand felt nothing. He gripped it tightly, staring intently at his own hand as if that would make him able to feel something again. His nails dug into the flesh of his large hand but Johnny just continued to stare hopelessly at the limb that felt like if it was ripped off in that moment, it wouldn't hurt nearly as much as his heart did today.

 _It's been a long day without you my friend,_

Suddenly the door opened from the other side and Johnny looked up at the intruder. His hard features softened slightly when his dark brown eyes met the subdued baby blues of his girlfriend. She reached out a hand and practically pulled him out of the car. He stumbled slightly as his legs came back to life and he got his bearings. Johnny gripped her hand like a lifeline as they slowly followed the rest of the funeral procession.

 _And I'll tell you all about it when I see you again_

Johhny's gaze fell to his feet and he let Meena lead him to their seats. For some reason the only thought that seemed to stick in his mind was how green the grass was that day. They were in a place of death, but the earth lived on, even if every part of him ached for the world to reflect how dead he felt inside. He kicked at the grass and felt a pang of satisfaction when he succeeded in pulling up a few blades. It was a childish action but he didn't care. It made him feel better. It made him feel like he was back in that simpler time. Like he was there with Max, playing until they were ready to collapse from exhaustion, coming home with stained clothes, being kids.

 _We've come a long way from where we began,_

Johnny mustered up the confidence to look up from the ground as Meena led him into their place in the circle of family and friends. Johnny found himself looking directly as Mrs. Barkley who spared him a sad glance before she turned to the officer leading the funeral and nodded. They were all there so that meant they were ready, in one sense of the word. No one had been ready for this.

 _Oh I'll tell you all about it when I see you again, when I see you again._

The days of their childhood were gone. Johnny mused as his gaze locked on the cherry wood coffin draped with a flag and a simple floral arrangement. Johnny felt his lips twitch when he saw the yellow buttercups mixed in with the other flowers. When he and Max had first discovered buttercups in Mrs. Barkley's kitchen they had dared each other to eat one to see if they tasted like butter. Simultaneously they had stuffed the flowers into their little mouths. They chewed for a second before they spit out the flowers dramatically. Mrs. Barkley walked into her kitchen a few seconds later to find a little gorilla spitting into her trash can while her son spit flower petals onto the floor. They laughed for hours.

 _Why'd you have to leave so soon, yeah,_

As they got older life took them in different directions. When they graduated high school Johnny found himself working in his father's mechanic's shop, desperately trying to scrape together enough money to jump start his singing career. Max, on the other hand, had joined up with the military as soon as he could. Johnny knew that his friend had a passion for serving their country and while he didn't exactly feel the same he had supported Max along every step of the way. He gave him courage to tell his parents, he saw him off when he shipped off to basic training, wrote him letters every week, and added a present to every care package that Mrs. Barkley sent.

 _Why'd you have to go,_

When things got crazy with his dad Max had been there for him, and when he had tried to give up on his dreams of becoming a singer Max had video called him from the front and chewed him out for an hour. He wasn't going to let him give up just like Johnny supported him. They had lost contact for a little while as Johnny prepared for the competition that would change his life, but Max had seen the videos of him singing that flooded the internet and congratulated him in a letter.

 _Why'd you have to leave me when I needed you the most,_

Johnny had introduced Meena to Max when he had a rare shore leave in town. The burly German Shepherd had swept the shy elephant into a tight hug and they spent the rest of the night trading stories about each other and making Meena laugh. Johnny kept thinking to himself that if he knew that that was the last time that he would see his best friend he would have hugged him harder, made him laugh louder,... made him stay.

But he didn't.

 _'Cause I don't really know how to tell ya without feelin' much worse,_

The ceremony interrupted his thoughts as people got up to speak about Max, sharing various memories, stories, prayers for his soul. Johnny felt his eyes stinging as tears welled up in his eyes. He stubbornly refused to let them fall until the Barkley's got up and began to speak about their son. The graying German Shepherds were slumped and clutching each other sadly. Meena squeezed his hand comfortingly as the first tear escaped and soaked the black hair on his cheeks.

 _I know you're in a better place but it's always gonna hurt,_

His chest hurt so profoundly that Johnny toyed with the notion that it was dying in his chest. All he could think about was the fact that Max wasn't in his life anymore, that he wouldn't receive any more letters, send off anymore presents, or laugh with his friend. Meena sobbed quietly beside him and Johnny felt his arms automatically moving so that he was cradling her against his chest. He felt a burst of strength as he shielded her from the hurt as much as he could.

 _Carry on,_

Around them the sounds of the speeches faded out and life stood still for just a second before it went speeding by again. It was all moving so fast that Johnny had whiplash from trying to stop and process it all, to let himself grieve instead of just existing in a frozen state. As the last speech finished, two military officers from Max's unit brought a piano out from one of the trucks. Johnny felt his hands ache with the urge to play. At the same time his heart was too scared to open himself up to the music and the pain. He hadn't played since he received the news because piano was an emotional art, and he was trying to keep them away.

 _Give me all the strength I need to carry on._

A red-eyed lion officer stepped up with a microphone and looked out into the crowd pleadingly, "Max was a good friend of mine and when we were out in the field he always had a song to play. Before he died he would only play one particular song that he claimed was by his best friend." Suddenly his eyes were on Johnny and everyone else looked to the shocked gorilla.

"Johnny, he would have wanted you to sing for him. Will you please come up and play for us... for him?" He asked and Johnny felt like all the air had been sucked out of his lungs as his heart and mind burst into a ferocious battle inside of him. Meena suddenly pulled out of his arms and he looked at her frantically, his eyes wide and vulnerable.

 _It's been a long day without you my friend,_

Meena grabbed both of his hands and kissed his cheek gently, breaking him out of his reverie.

"What are you going to do?" She whispered and Johnny's determination hardened gradually. He blinked and silently hoped that Meena would understand that he needed a little push, that he wanted to do this but he needed her help. Meena nodded slowly and he held onto her hand, his anchor, as he led the way over to the piano. Meena sat next to him and the crowd waited with bated breath as his fingers tentatively brushed over the ivory keys.

 _And I'll tell you all about it when I see you again_

Johnny fought with all of his strength to pry open the closed vault that his heart had become, to choose a song that Max would love, that Max would deserve. He let out a shaky breath and his tears flowed faster as he struggled internally to release his music.

 _We've come a long way from where we began,_

Meena brought him back to earth when she put a hand on his back and titled his chin so that he was looking up at her watery blue eyes.

"You know what to play Johnny. It's in there. You just have to let it out."

 _Oh I'll tell you all about it when I see you again, when I see you again._

Suddenly his fingers fell onto the keys and the slow, melancholy notes filled the silent air. Meena nodded in recognition of the song and her voice led his through the lyrics. He knew that their voices were striking together and he knew that this song wasn't a duet, but Meena had grown to love Max just like Johnny had. They had so much in common, namely Johnny. The original wasn't a duet, but this one suddenly was as her voice supported his just like she had supported him.

 _Oooooooooooooooh_

Johnny felt his strength slowly returning as his tears continued to flow but this time they flowed like the music and like the sadness that filtered in, shaped the song, and then left him with the impression that maybe this wasn't the end.

 _How do I breathe without ya I'm feeling so cold,_

In his song Johnny poured out every inch of the list of doubts that had been strangling him steadily until this day when his reath felt like it might never return.

 _I'll be waiting right here for ya, 'til the day you're home._

Suddenly the saying home is where the heart is made perfect sense because his heart was split up. He had given a piece to everyone he loved but they always stayed close. Except for two animals, two animals that he hoped were in a better place and were taking good care of their pieces.

 _Carry on,_

 _Give me all the strength I need to carry on._

His mom would welcome Max with open arms just like she had whenever the little pair had showed up for one of a million sleepovers. The thought was comforting as he realized that Max wasn't alone wherever he was going. Johnny's mom was there, his grandparents, Max's grandparents. A mottled family of those who had passed on and had taken pieces of various hearts with them were waiting for him to fit his piece in. If he thought of that he could carry on, he could be okay.

His fingers danced across the keys as his voice got stronger and he and Meena weaved a lullaby for the coffin that was slowly being lowered into the ground.

 _So let the light guide your way, yeah,_

Max would be safe in the beyond, he would be warm and happy and loved, because that was what he deserved. He had led a good life, an honorable life, so that meant that he would be rewarded. The universe would take care of him now.

 _Hold every memory as you go,_

They would always have the memories. Both Johnny and Max would have the memories of their friendship wherever they went, they had promised that the day that Max had shipped out for the battlefield. Johnny let them wash over him just as the clouds that had been hanging over them all morning released their soothing rain drops on the group.

 _And every road you take will always lead you home, home_

Johnny looked up at the sky, his eyes still closed as the earth once again reminded him that life still existed, that the world continued on, that everything would renew itself.

 _It's been a long day without you my friend,_

 _And I'll tell you all about it when I see you again_

 _We've come a long way from where we began,_

 _Oh I'll tell you all about it when I see you again, when I see you again._

He finished the song slowly, reluctantly and as his voice and his fingers released the very last note, his heart released the all-consuming despair that had consumed him until that point. He was still sad, but now he felt free to grow, to renew himself.

 _Oooooooooooooooh_

 _When I see you again, see you again, Yea, When I see you again_

The officers fired their rifles into the air, the crack of each shot punctuating the sky as Johnny began to put himself back together on that piano bench. His world was righting itself, and he was comforted by the fact that Meena was here to support him and that someday, they would see Max again.


	44. Movie Marathon

It felt like you had been standing on that picturesque porch for an eternity, your backpack slung over your shoulder and your favorite pillow clutched to your chest like a life saver. When you rang the doorbell the happy little sound made you jump slightly. The sound of muffled movements came from

"Y/N! I'm so glad that you're here." She exclaimed as she simultaneously pulled you into a hug and into the small yellow house. You barely had a moment to savor Meena's embrace before you were being released and then guided into another part of the house. It was warm inside, but not uncomfortably so and something in the air just smelt so... welcoming. It was fantastic.

Meena led you into the living room where the TV was primed and ready and a small DVD selection was spread out on the floor in front of it. When you looked up at Meena she was blushing slightly, her soft cheeks dusted with pink in a way that made your heart skip a beat. She nervously played with the bottom of her button up and glanced at the meager DVD selection.

"I um... I don't have a lot of movies but uh... well I think we'll be able to find something. I mean if not we could-" before her babbling could continue further you grabbed her hand and gave it a squeeze to bring her attention back to you. When she looked up at you with trepidation in her eyes you gave her a comforting smile.

"It looks great Meena. Tonight's gonna be a blast." Relief seemed to flow through her as soon as you spoke and her f excited energy returned full

"Put your stuff anywhere and pick a movie. I'm gonna got make us some popcorn." She sent you another heart-stopping smile and then disappeared into the kitchen.

You put your duffel bag against a far wall and then kneeled on the floor to peruse through the DVDs. You smirked knowingly when you recognized the plethora of action movies that made up the majority of the collection. You had been surprised to find that your sweet friend was a total adrenaline junkie when it came to movie selection. With that in mind you grabbed a battered DVD case and examined the familiar cover. It was obviously a well-loved favorite and a perfect movie to start the night with.

When Meena returned with a bowl that was overflowing with popcorn and a pack of Oreos you held it up triumphantly. She let out a giggle and then plopped down on the floor next to you.

"Let's get this party started." You laughed and leaned over to insert the DVD. Once the movie began you fell back into your seat and relaxed against the couch.

An hour later as the dinosaurs of Triassic Park were tearing apart their latest victim you glanced over at Meena. She was enraptured by the movie and sat gaping at the great beasts. Occasionally she would reach over and swallow a fistful of popcorn but she didn't dare tear her eyes from the screen for a moment. You felt a small smile spreading across your face as you watched her, memorizing ever feature on her face. Without realizing it you stared for a few more minutes until she surprised you by turning to look at you. Her big blue eyes were filled with concern and self-consciousness as she looked back at you.

"Y/N? Is everything okay?" Her sweet voice prompted you to scramble for some kind of explanation, maybe a smooth comeback that would charm her. But instead your brain blurred out the first thing you could think of.

"Yeah I'm just watching you hog that popcorn over there." You winced almost immediately after you said it and hoped beyond hope that she wouldn't be offended. For once the universe seemed to be listening because Meena giggled and threw a handful of popcorn at your face.

When the wayward kernels hit your face you just gaped at the innocent-looking elephant who was smirking at you.

"Oh it's on." With the roars of the dinosaurs on the TV in the background, an all out popcorn war broke out in the living room. Kernels were flying everywhere and your hands were covered in a light sheen of butter. By the time Meena surrendered the floor was covered in popcorn and pieces kept popping up in the most random places. Meena laughed as you did a dorky little victory dance. It was worth making a fool of yourself if you could hear that melodious laugh for even a moment.

When you both calmed down and settled back into your spots Triassic Park was just about over. You watched through to the ending when a brilliant idea hit you. You looked over at Meena, hoping that she was still in a playful mood.

"Hey Meena?" She looked up from where she was searching for the next movie.

"Yeah?" She sat up curiously when you just grinned and grabbed a blanket and a pillow.

"Let's build a fort." No sooner were the words out of your mouth and Meena's baby blues were sparkling with child-like excitement.

"Yes! Yes yes yes." You high-gives her and thus began the mad dash for supplies. She grabbed dining room chairs while you collected blankets and pillows from her room and the living room.

Once your supplies were in order Meena began setting up the chairs. You draped the long blankets over the chairs, connecting them and creating a type of tunnel. Meena then began to spread the pillows out into a comfortable nest while you grabbed flashlights and shut off all of the lights. Witching fifteen minutes the fort was complete and the flashlights illuminated it with a warm glow.

Meena crawled into the fort and settled down on her stomach. You stood there for a second, just taking in the picture before you as if it would dissolve at any moment. Meena was laying in your creation, looking completely content as she settled against the pillows. Your heart tugged at something in your chest and you wondered silently why the idea of crawling into that fort with her felt like home.

You came crashing back into reality when Meena gestured to the DVD player which sat open and waiting.

"What are you waiting for? Put the movie in." She giggled and a slight blush enflamed your face when you realized that you had just been standing there staring at her again. You scrambled awkwardly to pick up her selection and slide it into the DVD player. It was only when you had settled down on your half of the fort did you realize which movie she had actually chosen.

A familiar sultry song drifted from the speakers and a familiar wolf silhouette walked across the screen. James Bound. You rolled your eyes good-naturedly and she grinned like Christmas had come early.

"James Bound? Really?" You teased and her cheeks turned a familiar attractive pink as she defended her choice.

"James Bound is a cinematic classic. How can you not like this movie?" She looked at you with complete shock on her face but her eyes sparkled with amusement.

"They're all the same! Same cheesy agent, same cheesy women, same cheesy villain. James Bound is a cheese fest." You laughed when her shock turned to mock offense and she tried to scoot away from you.

"You just haven't seen these James Bound movies. Daniel Crave is awesome!" She giggled when you pursued her and before you knew it you were tickling her mercilessly. Her shrieking giggled echoed over the intricate opening theme song and you grinned triumphantly as you trapped her beneath you on the floor and renewed your tickle onslaught. Despite her desperate wriggling you held her fast and continued tickling her. When tears started to stream down her cheeks and her laughter became breathless and wheezy you finally had mercy and rolled off of her. You laid there chuckling as she tried to catch her breath and wipe at the tears that flowed down her cheeks.

Your heart was pounding in your chest both from exhilaration and from the realization that you had been in such an intimate position with Meena. Your stomach did a happy flip when she rolled over on her stomach and bumped your arm playfully. You rolled over onto your stomach as well and grinned triumphantly. The next couple of hours was a flurry of fantastic action, flashy cars, and actual grit. Suddenly you found yourself enjoying what you had originally thought was cheesy because now you had your beautiful elephant at your side providing running commentary about he movie. As the clock neared ten the Oreo box was broken open and the feast began.

This sparked a heated debate about the correct way to eat an Oreo. Meena refused to separate her cookie and ate it while like you would abnormal cookie. You on the other hand, adamantly refused to eat it all at once. Each part deserves to be cherished separately which you demonstrated when you pulled the cookie apart, licked off the frosting, and then gobbled up the cookies.

By the time that you were halfway through the container the debate had faded. Out of the corner of your eye you caught sight of Meena eating the cookie like you had showed her. You smirked and grabbed another cookie, only to shove it into your mouth without separating it. Some people were worth trying new things, and when you saw the appreciative look on Meena's face you knew that she was one of them.

The movie finished just as you both reached into the box for the last cookie. A ruddy blush appeared on both your cheeks and Meena's as your hands. Rushed gently against each other. You let the moment last for a few seconds, memorizing the feeling of her skin against yours before you pulled back your hand and gave her a shy smile.

"You can have it." You mumbled and smiled down at your own fingers. You heard Meena take the last cookie and pull it apart. Suddenly a cookie half covered in frosting was thrust into your hands. You stared up at Meena in surprise but she just gave you a shy smile and ate her half. You grabbed the half of cookie and eagerly devoured it, savoring the taste of the magical little cookie sandwiches.

Suddenly feeling bold you grabbed the only horror movie in the collection and slid it into the player. Sure it was a cheesy move, put a scary movie in so that the girl will cuddle up against you, but when it came to Meena you weren't above cheesy moves.

You hurried back to your place at Meena's side, significantly closer this time so that her side was pressed against yours. When Meena saw the movie title, the Sheering, her eyes went as wide as saucers and she huddled under her blanket. She was prepared even before the scary stuff began to happen.

This classic horror movie was one you had seen plenty of time so every time something was about to happen you would lean in and provide some comfort for her.

However, nothing could have prepared you for the moment that Meena dove into your blanket and gripped your arm tightly. She was shaking with fear and her grip was just short of bruising but all you could process in that moment was that Meena was cuddled up against you, using you for protection from imaginary horrors. Suddenly you were her knight in shining armor and as you wrapped an arm around her shoulder you gladly accepted the title and all of its duties.

You found yourself wishing that the movie would never end when Meena cuddled in closer to you, watching the screen with fear in her eyes. But after a few hours, the dead of night was upon you and the screen rolled the credits. The fear of the movie lingered in the darkness and Meena made her choice quickly. You noticed that she was looking around nervously as if she was expecting someone to jump out and scare her. She let out a little shriek much like the ones she made during the movie when the wind ruffled some curtains. She all but dove back into the fort and cuddled up to you.

She had chosen a romance to replace the mood left behind by the Sheering. 27 Dresses was a safe movie and as it played on the TV she gradually relaxed. By now the night had moved on to early morning and yawns ran rampant in the fort. It was like you were having a competition to see who could have the largest, jaw-cracking yawn between the two of you.

The warmth and weight of Meena's body was a welcome sensation rather than an uncomfortable one as her body relaxed and she drifted in and out of sleep. The scene playing out on the screen was sickeningly sweet and romantic enough to pull at your heart strings. You automatically looked down at the object of your affections, your Meena, and found her sleeping soundly against your side.

Her face was relaxed in sleep and she hummed happily when you gently ran a hand over the top of her head and down her back. This had started out as a fantastic friendship with someone who understood and supported you in your dreams, your hopes, even the smallest whim like building a pillow fort. But it had evolved, grown into a deeper feeling that pulsed with every heart beat and took over every one of your thoughts. All of the sudden your best friend was your everything. Your friendship was changing.

As you turned off the TV and settled down into the safe haven the two of you had created, you thought to yourself, hoped with every beat of your heart...

...that it might become something more.


	45. Take Me to Your Leader

-The targets are in the living room-

 **-I'm pretty sure you're supposed to say over. Over-**

-No. that's dumb-

 **-We have to do this right. That's why we have code names. Now say over. Over-**

-What codenames?-

 **-Our codenames! We talked about this at the meeting. Over.-**

-Remind me what the codenames are.-

 **-Not until you say over. Over.-**

-Fine. Over.-

 **-Haha yes! Now we're in business. Your codename is Prickly Princess. Over.-**

-...and yours is?-

 **-...-**

-And yours is? Over.-

 **-I am Moonwalk and I'm with Speedo, Dancing Queen, and Sassy Sequin. Over.-**

-Which one is Gunther and which one is Rosita? Over.-

 **-It's a surprise.-**

-You didn't say over.-

 **-...-**

-Let's just do this.-

Ash shoved her walkie talkie into her pocket and rolled her eyes as she casually strolled into the living room where Meena and Johnny were cuddled up on the couch watching 'Alien'. Meena was half covered with a blanket and her ears were pulled in close to her head. Suddenly an alien dropped down from the ceiling and began devouring the poor ferret onscreen which caused Meena to jump and let out a terrified squeak. Johnny just wrapped his arm tighter around her and kissed the top of her trembling head. Ash almost felt bed tricking her friends like this but when she found the alien costumes at the store it had been just too good to pass up. She had gotten together the rest of the theatre family and come up with an absolutely fantastic plan, which she was about to set in motion.

"Hey guys I'm heading gonna go to bed. Can you turn it down a little bit?" She called into the living room, receiving a distracted "yeah sure." from Johnny who grabbed the remote and turned the volume down a little bit. Ash rolled her eyes but she couldn't stop the mischievous grin from spreading across her face as she dashed back into her room.

Once there she slid open her window and four figures slipped in through the window. Ash quickly shushed them when Rosita and Gunther began to giggle quietly in excitement. Ash nodded to Eddie who pulled out his recorder and slid it out into the hallway where it was concealed by a pile of clothes. He had obtained a perfect recording of the noises made by the aliens in the movie that Meena and Johnny were watching. He then hooked it up to the speaker system that Ash had installed throughout the house a couple days ago. Once he was sure that it was placed he signaled Ash to start the next phase of the plan.

On cue Rosita dashed silently into the kitchen and spread her homemade Halloween slime all over the appliances and the floor. Soon the room was covered in slime and she was able to place bags on the ceiling that would slowly ooze down. She trailed the ooze into Ash's bedroom, where the cameras had been set up. Then, using another concoction she spread fake blood all over the room and Ash, who was laying on the floor of her bedroom in ripped clothes. She winked at Rosita as she was covered in fake blood and then signaled Buster for the final part o their set up.

The nimble little koala snuck around the house, unscrewing light bulbs just enough so that they would turn on for a minute before going out. He then closed the curtains in the living room, disguising the noise with that of the movie. Neither of the targets even noticed. Then he climbed back outside onto the fire escape where he had set up a few stage lights to flash periodically. When he was sure that the finishing touches were perfect everyone except for Ash donned their Alien costumes and took up their positions.

First Gunther took up position outside the front door and began loudly scratching at the door. Meena and Johnny went stiff on the couch and Johnny quickly paused the movie so that they could better hear what was going on. The eerie scratching sound echoed throughout the room and when Gunther threw his weight against the door they jumped in fear. Eddie began to play the alien sounds from the speakers near the door and Meena's grip on Johnny's hand turned into a death grip. The gorilla slowly got up and cautiously moved towards the door his heart pounding in his ears and his trepidation plain on his handsome face. Meena reluctantly trailed behind him, looking around frantically as if expecting anything to jump out at any second.

Johnny cracked open the door and Gunther, still dressed in his alien costume threw himself against it as if he was trying to get in. Johnny quickly threw his entire weight against the door so that it slammed closed. With shaking fingers he latched all of the lock and then pulled Meena away from the door towards the kitchen. He went in first though they seemed to be moving as one with how Meena was pressed against his back like she had been glued there.

Johnny reached for the light switch and almost breathed a sigh of relief when the light flickered on. His relief only lasted a mere second before the light went out entirely and they were left in a dark kitchen with only the eerie blue light of the TV screen to see. He grabbed the handle of the fridge, intending to open it and shed some more light on the situation, but his fingers only came into contact with a thick layer of gooey ooze.

Meena jumped back in surprise when Johnny did and the bag of ooze above her covered her shoulder and head in a continuous stream of gross ooze. Meena screamed in fear and dove for Johnny, latching onto him as he tried to comfort her and himself at the same time. He ushered Meena out of the kitchen, nearly slipping on a pile of ooze that seemed to follow a trail into the dark hallway. Cautiously Johnny peered into the dark depths, suddenly cursing his inability to see in the dark. Meena's eyesight was even worse than his so she just whimpered and held onto him, her entire form shaking in fear.

Johnny glanced back at the front door where the beast that he had briefly saw was still clawing and banging on the door and then he looked to the windows in the living room. The curtains were drawn so he couldn't see much, but before he could even take a step towards them a loud whirring sound like a spaceship echoed from the living room and flashing lights lit up the room. He gasped and pulled back from the room, slowly backing into the hallway which suddenly felt safer than the exposed, open room that was the living room.

His hand brushed the doorknob of Ash's room and it suddenly occurred to him that Ash was still in the apartment. He wrenched the door open, intending to hide in the room and warn Ash about the strange stuff that was happening throughout the rest of the apartment. Meena let out a blood-curdling scream when they saw Ash spread out on her bed, covered in blood while a familiar black shape crouched over her.

The shape looked towards them and Johnny's veins tuned to ice when he saw the form of the aliens from the movie that they had just been watching. It never occurred to him that the movie was fiction and these creatures didn't exist. His mind just went into a frenzy and he gaped at the creature. The familiar eerie noise that the aliens made echoed through the room as the alien opened its mouth to reveal another tiny mouth.

The door slammed open and two other aliens crept into the room like wild beasts. A fourth one slipped in through the window, the flashing lights giving its form an eerie backdrop. Johnny yelled in fear and shoved Meena into Ash's closet before diving in after her and slamming the door shut. The young couple huddle in a corner far away from the door, holding each other so tight that the grip was bruising. Meena was sobbing into Johnny's chest as the aliens slowly opened the door, revealing four gaping maws.

" M-Meena if this is the e-end I just want ya ter kna that I l-love ya. I 'ave loved ya since the first t-time ya smiled at me." Johnny stuttered out, trying to ignore the advancing aliens as he gazed at Meena. Meena, despite the tears streaming down her face and the fear pounding in her veins, smiled up at him.

"I love you too Johnny." She whimpered and then the aliens lunged and they both screamed, holding each other tight as they waited for the final blow.

But nothing happened. Instead the closet was filled with laughter as the aliens fell back and rolled on the floor in glee. Then a familiar voice called from the bed where Ash was supposed to be lying dead.

"Gotcha!" Johnny and Meena just looked at the laughing aliens and their grinning roommate in dumbfounded confusion. Suddenly the aliens removed their heads to reveal their friends, sill laughing loudly and struggling to stand up. Johnny was the first to absorb the reality of the situation and he slowly advanced on a chuckling Ash, murder and lingering fear in his brown eyes.

"I'm gonna kill ya!" He roared and proceeded to chase Ash around the room and out into the living room. Meena stared at the 'aliens' with wide eyes and as Rosita got a hold of herself she went over to the girl's side and wrapped a comforting arm around her shoulder.

"It's alright sweetie. It was just a prank." She grinned at Meena until an uncertain smile spread across her face and the tears that had been flowing down her face disappeared. She got up, her body still shaking with left over adrenaline and fear. The odd group started moving towards the kitchen where they heard yelling and various crashes.

When they came into the room they found Johnny brandishing a ladle and covered in slime circling the table while Ash, who was now covered in slime and fake blood held a pot like a shield. Meena immediately broke out into loud laughter and Johnny stopped threatening Ash to stare at his girlfriend in relief as her anxiety disappeared and she absorbed the fun of the moment. Johnny lowered his weapon and hurried over to her side to sweep her into a hug. They stayed in each other's embrace for a few moments until Eddie decided to speak up.

"So does this mean we aren't in any trouble?" Johnny smirked and pulled back from Meena, who just grinned back, a rare evil glint in her baby blues.

"Who said you were off the hook?"


	46. To Love and Be Loved (Teaser)

"Are you sure about this honey?" Leslie Jones asked for what felt like the millionth time, her hands gripping the steering wheel tightly and her ears were pulled in close to her head. She looked over at her daughter who was hugging her backpack and looking out the window nervously. Meena was silent for a minute as she stared out the window at the small charter plane. Her various classmates were gathered around their teacher as airline employees loaded suitcases into the the luggage compartment of the small plane.

"Yeah mom." She whispered, her voice laced with uncertainty but her words contradicted with her worried blue eyes. Leslie opened her mouth to try to convince her daughter to stay but before she could say anything Meena was practically leaping over the console to hug her mother. Leslie's worried gaze melted into an affectionate smile. She gently patted her daughters back and after a few minutes Meena released her from her death grip.

"Let's go baby. You're gonna miss your flight." Leslie winked at Meena who gave her a nervous smile, her ears remaining tucked close to her head as she took a deep breath and got out of the car. Leslie followed Menna around to the back of the car where she was hefting a heavy duffel bag onto her shoulder. Once the bag was in place Leslie gripped her daughters hand and led her over to where the school group was now boarding the plane.

When the hyena holding a clipboard saw Meena she gave her a big smile and checked off her name on the list before turning to console a worried mother.

Leslie tightened her grip on Meena's hand as she started to go up the stairs. Meena looked back in confusion but her face softened when she saw the tears in her mother's eyes. She immediately stepped down and pulled her mother into a another tight hug, her eyes misting up slightly with emotion.

"I love you mama." She whispered and Leslie choked back a sob. Slowly she released Meena and cupped her face in her hands.

"I love you too baby girl. Be safe. Call me when you get there." She fretted, fiddling with Meena's jacket and straightening her clothes. Meena laughed and gently pushed away her mother's hands.

"I'll be fine mama. No need to worry." She kissed her mom on the cheek and then ran up the stairs onto the plane. She found her seat in the large mammal section near the middle of the small plane and looked out the window. She found her mom scanning the windows and waved until she got her attention.

Leslie watched as her daughter waved from the window and frantically fought the sinking feeling that rested like a boulder in her stomach. Instead she pasted on a fake smile and watched the metal beast take her only child, her precious girl, far away.

Meena looked out the window of the plane, her headphones feeding her a constant stream of her favorite music. She could see miles of deep blue ocean inching past and she couldn't stand to tear her gaze away. It was such a mesmerizing myriad of blues that she couldn't help but feel like there was magic down there somewhere.

As the flight dragged on Meena found her eyelids growing heavy with sleep. She fought it as long as she could but the soothing voice of Bat King Cole lulled her to sleep with a haunting but soothing melody.

 _There was a boy_

 _A very strange enchanted boy_

 _They say he wandered very far, very far_

 _Over land and sea_

 _A little shy and sad of eye_

 _But very wise was he_

Her dreams were a whirlwind of fanciful blues mixed wit lush greens and the song invaded her dreams as it painted a blurry picture. A dark figure taking her hand and leading her away from the blue and into the green. Suddenly the green was all around but everytime she tried to focus on the scene new colors would distract her fickle mind. She was in a wonderland of new experiences and her guide, there was something special about her guide. She tried to focus on him and suddenly her brain was distracted by a barrage of scents, sounds and feelings.

She felt the kiss of raindrops, the whisper of soft fur carressing her smooth skin. At the same time she heard what could only be described as the sounds of...life. Primitive bird calls, rushing water, dancing wind, rustling foliage. It overwhelmed her until she was floating in a blur of sensory overload.

And just as suddenly she was jerked out of her blissful sleep.

She awoke to absolute chaos. The plane was shaking violently and around her she could hear the faint screams of her classmates. Meena's gaze darted to the window but all she could see was the darkness of angry storm clouds as they suffocated the plane. Suddenly, with a groan of metal and the sputtering of an engine the plane took a sharp dip.

Meena gripped the arms rests of her seat so hard that she could feel the plastic give slightly. Her heart was pounding in her throat and her lungs were frantically trying to keep up with her panicked pace. She was a wreck but all she could focus on was that damned window. She could only pray for the darkness to give way to the beautiful blue that had calmed her so, but t was to no avail.

Suddenly she was thankful that she had been too nervous to eat as the plane took another significant dip and her stomach flip flopped painfully in response.

 _And then one day_

 _A magic day he passed my way_

Suddenly the darkness was broken and she was surrounded by green and a grand cacophony as the mysterious green tore apart the metal invader. Winds were wrenched off and just as quickly as she fell from the sky the plane was being destroyed.

Meena could only watch as the walls were ripped from around her and her seatbelt held fast as her entire seat was yanked from the body of the plane and thrown into the green.

Meena screamed as she tumbled helplessly, the fabric of the seatbelt digging into her tough hide as she crashed through this branches. She closed her eyes and tried not to panic as her descent slowed and she gradually became stuck in the tangled limbs of her leafy savior.

Once she realized that she had stopped the roaring in Meena's ears began to fade and her vision swam as she was drenched by rain and an almost constant stream of frantic tears. She looked around, her sobs echoing solemnly in the peaceful quiet that the rain brought to the jungle. She couldn't see anything more than a foot in front of her and the darkness began to join the silence in suffocating her.

 _And while we spoke of many things:_

 _Fools and kings_

 _This he said to me_

She begged herself to say something, do something, anything that would alleviate her overflowing terror. Her body refused to respond for a moment and she became painfully aware of a ringing ache on her head. Her forehead was covered in thick warm liquid and her limited vision was starting to swim dangerously.

"Hello?" She croaked out in a hoarse voice filled with pain, terror, and loneliness. There was no response.

So she tried again, this time louder and with increasing fervor, "Hello!"

Once again she was ignored and her sobs began to take over her voice, making it soft and broken under the musical pattering of rain. She was almost drowned out but a sudden strength gave her the ability to cry out once more despite her fading consciousness and hope.

"Hello?" She cried out and collapsed back into her seat, her body aching and darkness overtaking her. This time, however, the jungle decided to answer her call.

 _"The greatest thing you'll ever learn_

 _Is just to love and be loved in return"_

She felt an eerily familiar soft but strong hand unbuckle her and lift her into a warm embrace. She could faintly see a flash of cheeta print cloth and midnight hair but her vision decided to fail her in that moment. But her ears stayed open long enough to hear a warm, curious voice imitate her call.

"Hello."


	47. Hypnotism is NOT for Amateurs

Eddie carried the small cardboard box close to his chest as he hurried through the theater towards Buster's office. He smiled giddily at Miss Crawly when she greeted him and then burst into Buster's office with even so much as a knock. His best friend was precariously balanced on a rickety ladder and Eddie's sudden entrance threw him off balance so that he was tumbling down to the floor. Eddie paid no heed to his friend's situation and instead slammed the door closed and proceeded to close the blinds to every window. When Buster dazedly stood and looked over the other side of his desk Eddie was bouncing excitedly and gesturing towards a small cardboard box.

"Eddie? Why are all the blinds closed?" He asked in confusion but Eddie didn't offer an explanation.

"Buster. Ohhh Man. You're not gonna believe it. I finally got it! After all these years." Eddie ranted giddily, almost vibrating with excitement. Buster raised an eyebrow at his friend, seriously considering whether or not his friend had finally lost it, but Eddie didn't seem to care. He just pushed the box closer to Buster and let out an excited noise that was so loud that Buster felt his eardrums pop. He winced and rubbed at his ear with one hand and slowly lifted the lid of the box with the other. Buster glanced at the contents briefly and let out a loud gasp, his tiny hands flying to his face as he gazed into the box with intense wonderment.

"Eddie. Oh my gosh Eddie no. This can't be." His voice was almost childlike and his gaze could not be pulled away from the object resting innocently in the box on his desk.

"Dude yes. It's exactly what you think it is." Eddie said, the same childlike excitement echoing in his voice.

Buster's shaking hands reached into the box and slowly pulled out an aging plastic ring with a peeling black and white swirl sticker facing outward.

"Is this what I think it is?" Buster asked breathlessly as he cradled the ring in his open palm, his gaze never leaving it.

"The Limited Edition Hypno-Master Ring from the year 1980." Eddie leaned forward so that the two friends were huddled together like small children.

"Awesome." Buster whimpered and reverently put the ring on his finger, treating it like a precious family heirloom. After a few minutes of silence Eddie glanced at the door and then back to the ring.

"We're gonna try it out right Buster?" He asked tentatively and he held his breath as Buster seemed to consider the notion for a heartbeat.

"Well of course!" He leapt off of his desk, and hurried to the door, Eddie eagerly following behind him. They crept past Miss Crawly as she leaned back in her chair, snoring loudly and mumbling quietly. Once they cleared his office the two giggling animals snuck through the theater, imitating ninjas as they searched for their first test subject.

The first animal that they happened to find turned out to be the unsuspecting gorilla who was humming to himself as he jotted down notes on sheet music. Johnny had been working with Ash on creating his own music lately and as a result had been working himself to death in order to finish his first song. Buster tried to casually stroll up to his charge but his facade was broken when he and Eddie descended into a fit of childish giggles. Johnny stopped writing to shoot the two a confused look, watching them with tired eyes as they slowly composed themselves. Then, like two evil twins they turned to him, mischievous grins practically breaking their faces with their force.

"Uh... wots up guys?" He asked cautiously and Buster inched slightly closer to him, his hand twitching from behind his back.

"Oh nothing Johnny. Just..." Buster suddenly leapt forward and thrust his hypno ring into the unsuspecting gorilla's face. Before Johnny could say anything Buster moved the ring back and forth.

Johnny couldn't help himself as his eyes followed the movement and in seconds his mind began to fuzz over with an all-consuming, white blankness. He didn't register Buster crowing with delight as he jumped for joy, and he definitely didn't notice the stream of tears running down Eddie's face.

Johnny was under their spell.

"So uh... what do we do now?" Eddie asked after he had dried his happy tears and stood staring into Johnny's glazed brown eyes. Buster, who was still embroiled in his victory dance, which consisted of him kissing the ring and shaking his booty, stopped short.

"I...I don't know." He grumbled, suddenly put out by their lack of plan. He looked at Johnny, desperately wracking his brain for ideas on what he could do with his newfound power.

When his mind came up blank he turned to his partner in crime, who was still consumed with thought.

Suddenly Eddie's face lit up and he motioned for Buster to come closer. Buster immediately hurried to his side and the lanky black sheep leaned down to whisper in his best friend's large ears. With each word Buster's grin grew and his eyes sparkled with mischievous glee.

"Oh. Oh hohohohohohoho." He chuckled to himself and rubbed his tiny hands together eagerly. After their plan had been laid out Buster stepped up to where Johnny stood staring at nothing.

"Johnny. Johnny, Johnny, Johnny." He cackled and then leaned over to whisper in his ear. When he finished whispering the command he stepped back and watched as Johnny shuffled off towards another part of the stage.

Eddie whipped out his phone, camera at the ready, and the two took off after the gorilla, intent on capturing his humiliation.

Johnny mindlessly made his way up the stairs, a small trail of drool making its way out of his mouth. When he reached the top of the stairs he made a beeline for the copier, keyed in a hundred copies and then proceeded to unbuckle his jeans and sit down on the copier.

Lights flashed under him and copy after copy of his pressed butt cheeks flooded the room. Buster and Eddie burst into the room just in time to catch the gorilla in the act.

They collapsed to the floor, heaving with laughter and clutching their stomachs. Once the copier was done Johnny hopped off, redid his pants and stood in front of it, patiently waiting for his next command.

Buster and Eddie laughed hysterically for a few minutes before they finally calmed down. They laid on the hardwood floor side by side, their eyes streaming with tears and their stomachs aching pleasantly.

"That was awesome!" Eddie exclaimed as he threw his hands into the air and let out another airy laugh. Buster let out a little giggle and rested his hands on his stomach, trying to soothe the aching muscles there.

"Your turn dude." Eddie announced after another minute of silence and Buster pursed his lips as a million thoughts soared through his head. Buster hopped up to his feet and wandered over to where Johnny was standing dazedly in front of the copy machine. He circled the gorilla as he pondered each scheme that popped into his head, Eddie watching him in anticipation.

After a minute of pacing he suddenly stopped dead and snapped his fingers excitedly, "I've got it. This is gonna be hilarious!" He chuckled to himself and hopped up onto the copier so that he was level with Johnny's ear. He then leaned in and began to whisper once more in his ear, giving poor Johnny his next task. When Buster finished talking and stepped back, Johnny began to strip down until he was wearing only his bright red boxers and dashed out of the room, yelling loudly.

Eddie shot Buster a confused look but his friend just grinned in reply and led the way out onto the stage. When they arrived Johnny was still yelling loudly but now he was swinging through the rafters like a primitive ape. It was in that moment that Eddie recognized his yell from an old kids TV show about a mammal living on a primitive island away from society.

"Oh my god you made him into Tarzan?!" He exclaimed and once more the infectious laughter started up. Within seconds the two were rolling on the stage, laughing loudly as Johnny swung around and made primitive ape calls. They didn't notice as a figure came onto the stage slowly, their eyes glinting with mischief.

Eddie and Buster were pulled from their laughter by a familiar sarcastic voice as Ash walked over and pulled the hypno ring off of Buster's finger, "Nice work guys."

"Hey! Give that back it's vintage." Eddie pouted but Ash silenced him with a withering glare as she slid the ring onto her own finger.

"You had your fun. Now it's my turn." She cracked her knuckles and strutted off towards where Johnny was swinging in the rafters. From where they sat Buster and Eddie watched her go with pouting faces, their fun over and their ring gone. Eddie slouched off to go pout at home and drown his sorrows in a video games while Buster headed back to his office. Neither of them could shake the tingling feeling that whatever Ash was gonna do to Johnny was way beyond their imagination.

When Johnny awoke from his stupor he was laying face down in the middle of the stage. He groaned quietly and sat up, his head still spinning from whatever had happened to him. The first thing he noticed was that he was naked except for his boxers. He let out an unmanly squeak and tried fruitlessly to cover himself. He looked frantically around for his clothes and found them neatly folded just a few feet away. Johnny scrabbled frantically for them and shimmied on his jeans and long t-shirt, his heart pounding loudly in his chest.

He patted down his pockets and found two pieces of paper. The first, once unfolded was what looked like a photocopy of someones butt. Johnny stared at it for a second, puzzling over whose it was and why he would have it before his face drained of color and he dropped the photo like it was on fire. It was HIS butt. He grabbed the other piece of paper hoping that it would be something better than the first.

His pounding heart stopped for a couple beats when he saw the phone number and name written on the scrap of paper. It was Meena's. Dumbfounded, he pulled out his phone and looked at his texts. Waiting for him was a cheery message from Meena wherein she expressed her excitement for their movie night the next day. A sappy smile spread across his face and as he left the theatre he decided that whatever the bloody hell had happened to him was a good thing.


	48. A New Flavor to Love

Ash almost fell down to her knees and praised the coffee gods when the quaint little coffee shop magically appeared on her block. She accepted it for the blessing that it was and promptly dumped her crappy old coffee maker. The very next morning when she reluctantly rolled out of bed at an ungodly hour for morning practice before the show she perked up the slightest bit at the thought of a quality cup of coffee.

She threw on her favorite tattered black tights, old jean shorts, and an AZ-DZ concert shirt. She stumbled through the kitchen where Johnny was blankly staring at the toaster like the half-burnt waffle that it was about to deliver would save him from the early morning. They grunted hello to each other as Ash stopped to put on her brand new combat boots. That was the extent of their morning conversation because Johnny wouldn't perk up until he ate his breakfast and saw his girlfriend. Ash, on the other hand, required a cup of liquid gold before she could function at normal capacity.

She trudged down the street to the tiny coffee shop and easily slipped inside. She was greeted by the comforting smell of coffee that buried itself deep in her bones and made her mouth water. At the early hour the shop was relatively empty and Ash couldn't have been more grateful for this fact because it meant nothing but a barista stood between her and her elixir of life.

As she neared the counter she expected to be greeted by some disinterested teenager that would rather do anything other than take her order, but she was pleasantly surprised. The raccoon waiting behind the counter managed to stop her heart and strike her dumb at the same time. Her fur was a mesmerizing mix of striped that mirrored the designs on Ash's quills. Her big round eyes were hidden behind a pair of baby blue glasses but the rims couldn't hide her strikingly golden eyes. Rather, the glasses seemed to make them all the more mesmerizing. She was wearing a white loose crop top that was covered in tiny lady bug designs, and tattered jean shorts.

Ash panicked a little bit when the beautiful mammal flashed her a blinding smile and leaned forward over the counter to take her order. Her mind raced for a few seconds as she scrambled to remember why she was here, where she was going, and why she would have any reason to leave this beautiful girl.

"What can I get for ya?" She asked innocently as Ash continued to stare at her in complete shock. She had never felt this way about another girl before. Sure she had always appreciated the occasional attractive mammal, but no one had short circuited her brain with just a smile and a few words, not even Lance.

Finally Ash was able to blurt out her order and robotically let the girl check her out. She didn't remember how much it cost, let alone how much cash she gave the girl. All she could remember was the race with which she made the most perfect cup of coffee that Ash had ever tasted.

Before she could be sucked into an embarrassing conversation with the woman that caused havoc in her brain and shut down her ability to communicate like a normal person, Ash snatched up her coffee and dashed out the door.

It wasn't until later when she was wistfully examining her empty cup, hoping more of the black gold would appear, that she noticed the curly handwriting sprawled over the cup:

 _Good Morning, Beautiful._

Ash turned cherry red and shoved the cup in her bag, unable to come to terms with the feelings that it evoked. She tried to ignore it for the rest of the day but the raccoon girl refused to leave her thoughts and all she could hear was her sweet voice calling out her message, over and over again.

By the time she went to bed that night she was a whirlwind of confused thoughts and feelings. She had never felt this level of anything for anyone, and after only one meeting! They hadn't even talked. She was ready to rip out her quills in frustration. Instead she vowed to herself that she was going to avoid that coffee shop like the plague and therefore remove her attraction entirely.

That plan lasted until she left the house the next morning. Automatically her feet took her towards that dreaded coffee shop. When Ash finally realized where she was she almost threw a tantrum, but instead settled for grumbling angrily at the universe as she wrenched the door open and stomped up to the counter.

She fully intended to say something casual and detached to the girl at the counter but as soon as those eyes turned in her direction her words and her mouth dried right up. Fortunately for her dignity the girl seemed to read her mood and spoke up first.

"Good morning again! Rough day so far?" She asked, her bright smile still as adorable as the first time Ash saw it. Miraculously she found her voice and managed a hoarder than usual reply.

"Every morning that I have to get up this early is a rough day." She gave the girl a small smirk and to her absolute pleasure she giggled and her cheeks turned a gentle pink.

"Well let me help you out with that. Same as yesterday?" She picked up their largest size cup and waited for Ash's nod of approval before she began making the drink.

This time Ash stood and watched her as she made the coffee, paying extra attention to her as she pulled her sharpie out of her apron and scribbled a note on the cup. When Ash gratefully accepted the coffee she casually strolled from the coffee shop, desperately trying to ignore her brain's insistence that she check what the message said.

She finally gave in when she got to the theatre, making sure to hide away in her practice room before she revealed it.

 _You are MY sunshine this morning, beautiful._

Normally Ash would have rolled her eyes at such a sappy line but now, with her eyes glued to the elegant whirls and swoops of the words, she could only grin. Suddenly she understood why Johnny and Meena were always exchanging sappy notes and gifts. This feeling blooming in her chest, it was precious and it soaked up these sappy notes like it was starving for love. And maybe, after the Lance debacle, she really was hungry for love.

Ash pushed away that train of thought, took a sip of the coffee and then got to work. Her guitar rested easily in her arms and as she strummed the strings her mind relaxed and the music flowed from her. Except this time she had no plan, no set idea. The music would come to her in whatever form it wanted. And she was starting to be okay with that.

The best part about this visit was that she finally learned the girl's name: Dixie. Ash had immediately shortened it to Dix, which the barista seemed to enjoy.

"So you're not one of those baristas that hates coffee are you?" Ash asked teasingly and was delighted when Dixie laughed and made her heart skip a couple beats.

"Nah. I love coffee with all my heart." Her smile seemed to grow even brighter as she added some foam on top of Ash's latte, "the smell, the taste, the incredible ability to keep me alive."

She winked at Ash who laughed and leaned farther onto the counter as if getting closer to her would make their conversation all the better, "My thoughts exactly."

Ash blushed, and with her heart in her throat she took her coffee and sipped the perfect concoction, "You make the best coffee that I have ever had."

Her comment was soft and unsure but it made Dixie stop in surprise. At her lack of reaction Ash felt like she might spontaneously combust from embarrassment, but she was saved from certain death a few moments later by Dixie.

Dixie turned bright pink under her black and white fur and gave Ash a shy smile that made her want to kiss Dixie within an inch of her life. Thankfully she reigned in her wayward thoughts, waved goodbye and dashed out the door. She ended up being late to practice and receiving a verbal lashing from Buster. By the time she was alone with her coffee she was back to grumpy. Angrily she searched her coffee for the message and when she finally found it she let it melt away her roiling emotions:

 _Talk coffee to me, beautiful_

This time Ash's blush was accompanied by her reluctant smile as the playful little message brought her back down to earth and gave her another burst of mysterious inspiration. She immediately got to work on her untitled song, scribbling furiously on sheet music as she descended into her own little world.

As soon as they walked into the coffee shop The smells and sounds put Ash at ease as usual. Meena had Johnny's hand clasped in hers as she led her comatose boyfriend through the shop and up to the counter. Ash rolled her eyes when Johnny just yawned and fell asleep on Meena's shoulder as Meena tried to hold in her giggles so as not to disturb him.

"Hey Dix." Ash called when the sunny barista appeared with a big smile.

"Hi Ash." She breathed out happily, her eyes glittering with happiness.

"I brought along some friends today." Ash gestured to the sleeping Johnny and Meena who waved shyly.

"Oh dear, looks like he definitely needs some coffee." Dixie laughed and grabbed the biggest coffee cup size, already making Ash's order without prompting. When she looked to Meena the elephant gave her a shy smile and said quietly.

"I'll have a hot chocolate and he needs the biggest mocha that you can make. Double shots." Johnny let out a little snore, which sent all of the girls into fits of laughter.

"Coming right up." Dixie smiled, accepted Ash's cash and then got to work making the drinks. The first one to come up was Johnny's and they all watched as Meena shook her boyfriend awake and immediately gave him his coffee. Johnny sniffed it suspiciously and once he recognized the smell he gratefully brought the cup up to his mouth and took a deep drink.

Satisfied that Johnny was more awake and enjoying his coffee Dixie gave Meena her hot chocolate and got to work on Ash's drink. As she made it she chatted with Ash and Meena. She was waiting for the milk to heat up when suddenly her face lit up in revelation.

"Oh my goodness! That's where I know you from!" She suddenly gasped and Ash and Meena exchanged confused looks before Dixie realized that an explanation was in order.

"You guys sing at the Moon Theatre! I've seen poster's for your show all over town. We even have one in the shop! How could I have not noticed?" She smacked her forehead and let out an embarrassed laugh.

"Heh yeah that's us." Ash bashfully rubbed the back of her neck and waited for the fangirl gushing that always followed someone recognizing them. Instead, Dixie handed Ash her cup, gave her that sweet smile and left her with one parting remark.

"I really like your songs. Good luck!" And with that she disappeared into the back of the shop. Ash was shocked by her refreshingly calm attitude and immensely pleased that Dixie had passed a test that Ash didn't even know was a test.

She let Meena guide her and Johnny out of the shop and towards the theatre until they were able to walk on their own. Ash suddenly came back to reality and cursed herself for zoning out again. Out of the corner of her eye she examined her friends cups and was relieved to only find an innocent little smiley face drawn on the side of the cups. Suddenly feeling the need to confirm that she was special to Dixie she searched her own cup for a message. When she found it, it gave her an extra pep in her step:

 _Keep calm and sing on, beautiful_

Ash was still staring happily at her message when Meena spoke up out of nowhere.

"She was really nice Ash." She said casually and Ash looked up at her in confusion.

"Uhh... who?" Ash raised an eyebrow at her friend and Meena just smiled indulgently.

"Dixie...?" Meena giggled when Ash's face melted into a smile at the mere mention of the barista.

"Oh yeah. I know right?" Ash tried to recover and act casual but Meena saw through it almost immediately. She snorted and rolled her eyes, but the smile never left her face.

"Good coffee." Johnny finally spoke up for the first time that day before descending back into his cup of coffee. Meena squeezed his hand to thank him for the back up and then turned to look at Ash.

"You should ask her out." Meena threw out casually as they ascended the steps into the theatre.

"I know right!" Ash exclaimed, still trying to play off her attraction, not really realizing exactly what Meena had said. As soon as she realized what she had just agreed to she stopped dead in her tracks and stared up at Meena in bewilderment. Meena just winked and led Johnny into the theatre.

Ash stood there for a few more minutes, consumed by shock. How is it that Meena and Johnny, the most oblivious couple in the world, the couple that she had spent forever trying to get together, figured out that she was attracted to Dixie after only one meeting? She spent the rest of the day puzzling over it until she realized that Meena had told her to ask Dixie out. Then she spent the rest of the night sitting in her bed and trying to gather up the courage to actually ask Dixie out.

Friday dawned and Ash was still sitting in her bed, in dire need of coffee and filled with sleep-deprived courage. She rolled out of bed, traded her pajamas for grey leggings, a black skirt and a HISS concert shirt. She checked herself in the mirror for what felt like forever until she finally wrenched herself away and headed down to the coffee shop.

On her way over Ash practiced how she was going to ask Dixie out, going over dozens of possible scenarios in her was outside the coffee shop pacing for over a minute before she finally stopped and looked at her reflection in the mirror.

"Ash! Get your shit together girl! Go in there and ask her out like proper mammal!" She glared at herself and then, filled with a new level of determination, she pushed her way into the coffee shop. Like usual the place was relatively empty and Ash was thankful that not many animals would be around to witness her inevitable humiliation.

"Good morning Ash. You look like you need a good cup of coffee." Dixie smiled cheerily and automatically started making Ash's coffee. Ash fiddled with her concert shirt and mumbled her carefully rehearsed lines under her breath. And then she promptly decided to wing it.

"Hey Dixie?" She murmured, her mouth going dry when Dixie turned around and fixed her with a charming smile.

"Yes?" She asked, absently pouring the espresso into the latte.

"Do you wanna come to the concert?" Ash blurted out and Dixie's smile brightened as she boiled the milk and added it into the cup.

"Of course! I already have front row tickets actually. I've had them since I met you." She blushed slightly and looked down into the coffee. Ash felt her heart fluttering desperately in her chest and she took a moment to appreciate it before she continued on with her runaway train of a date proposal.

"Well um… you know maybe you'd like to go to dinner afterwards. Just the two of us." Ash tried to stop her mouth but it continued speaking, digging her deeper into a bottomless pit, "Like a date. A date. With me."

Her voice faded out as she looked at Dixie who was standing there, holding her finished coffee in hand and looking at Ash with an unreadable expression. Ash waited with her heart in her throat as Dixie looked down, scribbled something on the cup and then held it out for Ash to take.

Ash felt her heart drop to her feet like a stone when Dixie said nothing. Her rejection felt like a hot knife going through her heart, but Ash decided that maybe she should get used to the feeling. Maybe it was all she deserved in this life. Slowly, morosely, she accepted the coffee and trudged out of the coffee shop.

She looked down at the coffee cup, hoping that maybe it would hold some kind of salvation. Scribbled on the cup in familiar, cherished, handwriting was a phrase that had the power to pull Ash out of the pit of despair. In fact it made her feel like she was walking on air, like she could do anything that she wanted to. Because Dixie made her feel new, special, beautiful.

 _I'll see you Saturday night, beautiful._


End file.
